Game 5 Predictions & Odds: Heat vs. Celtics

• September 24, 2020
• By Michael Crosson
• VegasInsider.com

On the back of a of a 20-year old rookie named Tyler Herro, the Miami Heat have taken a commanding 3-1 series lead against the third-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The club from South Florida is now just win away from being the first team to punch a ticket to the 2020 NBA Finals in the NBA Bubble from Orlando, Florida on Friday as they meet in Game 5.

Betting Resources

• Matchup: Eastern Conference Finals Game 5
• Expert Picks: Vegas Insiders
• Venue: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
• Location: Orlando, Florida
• Date: Friday, Sept. 25, 2020
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Bet: BetMGM | BetRivers | FanDuel | PointsBet | All

Heat rookie Tyler Herro scored 37 points in Game 3 as Miami opened up a 3-1 series lead over Boston. (AP)

Betting Odds - Celtics vs. Heat

Line Movements

The Celtics find themselves trailing the Heat by two games in this series, but Boston is still found on the majority of Vegas betting boards as a three and a half-point favorite to force a Game 6 in this year’s Eastern Conference Finals against Miami.

‘Under’ tickets have been golden in the NBA Playoffs thus far, but the same cannot be said when these teams two teams meet up, as three out of four games in this series have soared over the total. The ‘over-under’ for the fifth tilt in this series has gotten a slight bump up to OU 213.

• Spread: Boston -3
• Money-Line: Boston -155, Miami +135
• Total: 213.5
• Updated Series Price: Miami -400, Boston +325

Game 4 Recap

The Celtics choked away double-digit deficits in their first two losses of this series, but the loss by Brad Stevens’ team on Wednesday night was somehow even uglier.

Jayson Tatum was held scoreless during the first half of Game 4, putting his team in a difficult position to be successful in what has proven to be the most crucial contest for the Celtics thus far. He turned it on in the second half after it was already too late though, going for 28 points on 62.5% shooting in the final two stanzas.

On most days, Tatum’s second half explosion might have been just enough to send his team over the edge, but on this given Wednesday night, it was not nearly enough against Miami’s rookie off the bench from the University of Kentucky. Herro scored 37 points on 67% shooting and banged home 5 of 10 3-pointers against the Celtics in Game 4.

Miami has now cashed ‘underdog money line’ tickets in three out of four games in this series. They will look to do it one last time against the favorited Celtics on Friday night.

Game 4 Betting Results

It was a tale of two halves in Game 3 for total bettors and those playing the 'under' certainly weren't happy.

After the pair combined for just 94 points in the first 24 minutes, the offensive units came alive in the second-half and posted 59 and 68 points in the third and fourth quarter respectively.

Neither team shot from distance but the pair went a combined 41-of-48 from the charity stripe and those free points with no running clocks, 16 in the fourth quarter, are daggers for 'under' tickets.

Outcome: Heat 112 Celtics 109

• Game: Heat Win, Heat Cover (+3.5), Over 212
• First Quarter: Heat Win (24-23), Heat Cover (+1), Under 52.5
• First-Half: Heat Win (50-44), Heat Cover (+2), Under 105
• Second-Half: Celtics Win (65-62), Heat Cover (+3.5), Over 105.5

Celtics vs. Heat
How to Handicap Game 5

(SU-Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread, OU - Over-Under)

Heat Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

• Bubble: 14-7 SU, 14-7 ATS, 10-10-1 O/U
• Playoffs: 11-2 SU, 11-2 ATS, 6-7 O/U

Cover your eyes Heat fans if you have not seen Goran Dragic’s shooting numbers from last game because the 21 points he scored were not pretty. Dragic, who has been terrific for Miami in the playoffs thus far, seemed to be a little rusty coming off four days rest, going 8 for 21 from the field.

Jae Crowder also struggled in Game 4 from Miami, going 1 for 9 from the field and tallying just 3 points in the contest.