Eastern Conference Heavyweights
The Miami Heat are favored to beat the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, which could come as a surprise.
The Celtics own the best record in the NBA, but they come off a poor loss to the Orlando Magic, so the sportsbook believes that could have a flow-on effect at Miami-Dade Arena.
Let’s check the latest NBA news, stats, injury report, and NBA lines for Celtics vs Heat. We’ve got plenty of NBA picks for you to consider.
Celtics Looking to Rebound
The Celtics lost to the Magic 113-98 on Monday, the third time they have lost to the Magic this season.
However, they are 2-1 against the Heat, and bettors get fair NBA odds for the Celtics to bounce back and show why they’re the favorites to win the title.
They are 35-13 and have responded well to losses, so it’s not time to give up backing the Celtics, who are 25-22-1 against the spread (ATS).
They have been underdogs just twice and are 2-0 on that spot, so that’s a positive for bettors. Also, Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon could be back for this game.
Our only concern is that they are 12-12 ATS on the road. The Heat are tough to beat at home, so it requires the Celtics to be at their brilliant best.
Heat Seeking Consecutive Wins
Winning consecutive games has been tough for the Heat, who are looking for another victory following a 100-96 win over the Pelicans on Sunday.
Defense is once again proving to be a winning factor for the Heat, who rank second in defense. However, the Celtics’ offense ranks second, so they will have to guard multiple talented scorers, including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Turnovers were a problem for the Heat in their win over the Pelicans. They committed 22 turnovers, which allowed the Pelicans to score 31 points.
“It was taxing.” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It feels like mistake after mistake, but that’s also not giving them credit. They are extremely good at what they do.”
They are 19-27-2 ATS, which is our biggest cause for concern. Bettors haven’t been rewarded for consistently backing the Heat, so there could be late trepidation with NBA betting markets.
We expect money to come for the Celtics late, which could see the line move to a pick’em.
Celtics vs Heat Game Injuries
Celtics vs Heat Head-to-Head
Miami won and covered the +7 spread when they met in December.
Boston had covered in the previous three meetings and is 6-4 overall from the last 10 meetings.
The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last four games in Miami.
Celtics vs Heat Game Information
- Game: Celtics (35-13) vs Heat (26-22)
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 7.30 p.m. ET
- Location: Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
- Celtics vs HeatLive Stream: NBA Game Pass
Celtics vs Heat Betting Lines
Celtics vs Heat Picks and Prediction
We can’t turn down +2 for the Celtics, who are the better team and have bounced back from losses well.
They should get some key players back and most of the statistics favor the visitors, so lock in the odds before they move.
The +110 moneyline odds are also worth including in NBA parlays.
Miami is listed at -150 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Heat, there’s a chance to win $67. Boston is +130, offering a chance to win $130 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Miami a 60.00% chance to win, with the Celtics at 43.48%.
Celtics vs Heat Trends
Celtics vs Heat Edge
Celtics vs Heat Results
Celtics vs Heat Game Summary
Heat vs Celtics Previous Game (Dec. 02, 2022)
The Celtics are undoubtedly the best team in the NBA. They are dominant on offense and serviceable on defense, whereas the Heat happens to be quite the opposite. However, right now, the offensive powerhouse seems to come out on top. If you’re looking to bet on basketball, betting against the Celtics seems like a waste of money.
The spread of -280 does not represent the skill difference in this game, as their last matchup had a difference of 13 points. Even if Tatum did not score 49 points, the rest of the team would make up for it with a well-rounded offensive game and great ball movement. The Celtics are going to win this game, and it will not be very close.
