Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals gets underway on Friday night when the Miami Heat visit the Boston Celtics.
The Heat took an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 123-116 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday to snatch Boston’s home advantage in the series away. Miami was an 8.5-point underdog in the high-scoring affair that soared over the 211-point total.
The Celtics will once again be sizable nine-point favourites on Friday with the total set at 215.5 points.
Heat vs Celtics odds
| Heat Moneyline Odds | +325 |
| Celtics Moneyline Odds | -425 |
| Over/Under | 215.5 points (over -110, under +110) |
| Spread | Celtics -9 (-110) |
| Series odds | Celtics -230, Heat +190 |
| Time/Date | Friday, May 19, 8:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: TSN Stream: NBA League Pass (How to watch the NBA in Canada?) |
All odds courtesy of 
Previous meetings
The Heat have won, and covered the spread, in the past three meetings and the teams have combined for a 3-2 over/under record in their five meetings this season.
| Date | Home Team | Spread Odds | Result | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2023 (Game 1) | Boston | Celtics -8.5 | 123-116 Heat | 211 (over) |
| Jan. 24, 2023 | Miami | Heat -2.5 | 98-95 Heat | 215 (under) |
| Dec. 2, 2022 | Boston | Celtics -7 | 120-116 Heat (OT) | 226.5 (over) |
| Nov. 30, 2022 | Boston | Celtics -9.5 | 134-121 Celtics | 225 (over) |
| Oct. 21, 2022 | Miami | Celtics -2 | 111-104 Celtics | 220.5 (under) |
About the Heat (10-4 SU, 10-4 ATS, 9-5 o/u)
Jimmy Butler continues to be the best player on the floor for the Heat after recording 35 points, seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds in the team’s Game 1 victory. In fact, Butler is now just the third player in NBA playoff history with multiple games of 35+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 5+ steals, joining Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan as the only players to record such a versatile stat line. Butler now has five 30-point performances this postseason and is averaging 31.5 points per game.
Boston led by 13 points late in the second quarter, but the Heat went to work in the third quarter, shooting 65.4% from the field to outscore the Celtics, 46-25. Miami tied a NBA playoff record with six players (Bam Adebayo, Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, and Butler) scoring at least 15 points in Game 1.
About the Celtics (8-6 SU, 8-6 ATS, 9-5 o/u)
Jayson Tatum led all Celtics scorers with 30 points in Game 1, but he vanished in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. He didn’t attempt a single shot and committed three turnovers in the final period.
Jaylen Brown added 22 points and nine rebounds in the series opener. However, he only went 1-for-6 from long range in the contest. With the single three-pointer, though, Brown did become the fourth player in franchise history to reach 200 career three-pointers in the postseason.
On top being one of Boston’s elite defensive players, Marcus Smart logged a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 11 assists.
Max Strus over 12.5 points
Notable injuries
Heat centre Omer Yurtseven has been added to the Heat injury report with a nose contusion and is questionable. Victor Oladipo (knee) and Tyler Herro (hand) are still out for Miami.
Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) is probable.
Betting trends
- The over is 4-0 in the past four meetings in Boston.
- The over is 9-1 in the Heat’s last 10 road games.
- The over is 9-3 in Boston’s last 12 games overall.
- Miami is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
- The Celtics are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following a loss.
Player prop trends
- Strus continues to score at a higher rate than oddsmakers have projected. The Miami forward has scored at least 14 points in each of the last six games and is averaging 15.8 points per game during that span. His line is 12.5 points (-105 over).
- Celtics forward Al Horford has beat his line for steals in seven straight games. Horford is averaging 1.6 steals over his last 10 games and his line is 0.5 steals (-230). That’s an awfully steep price to pay, but betting Horford to exceed his steals total could be a useful leg of a parlay.
- Lowry has a block in each of his last three games and eight of his last 10. He’s +125 to record at least one block.
Wagers to consider
- Oddsmakers continue to disrespect the Heat despite them defying the odds as underdogs (7-2 ATS) on multiple occasions during these playoffs. Boston should respond with a Game 2 victory, but covering nine points against the scrappy Heat might be asking too much.
- Same-game parlay – Butler over 8.5 points in first quarter, Tatum over 7.5 points in first quarter: +250. This parlay has been boosted from +220 to +250 at bet365, and if you like the star players from each squad to set the tone early, it’s something to consider. Tatum should be especially hungry to set the tone early after a dismal fourth quarter in Game 1.
