Celtics vs Heat Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for NBA Playoffs Game 3 (Boston, Miami Exceed Offensive Expectations)

The 2022-23 NBA Playoffs continue on Sunday, May 21 with Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

Celtics vs Heat Game 3 Info

• Series: MIA leads 2-0
• Date: Sunday, May 21, 2023
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Kaseya Center -- Miami, Florida
• Coverage: TNT

The Heat have shocked the basketball world by taking a 2-0 series lead following Game 2's 111-105 victory over the Celtics. Jimmy Butler led the way with 27 points while Bam Adebayo (22 points, 17 rebounds) and Caleb Martin (25 points off the bench) each had standout performances as well.

Celtics vs Heat Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds, and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: BOS: (-156) | MIA: (+132)
• Spread: BOS: -3 (-110) | MIA: +3 (-110)
• Total: 214 -- Over: (-108) | Under: (-112)

The Celtics enter this contest as slight road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 8:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 214 points with the Under being favored at -112 odds.

Celtics vs Heat Betting Trends

• Boston is 13-7 straight up (SU) in its last 20 games as the favorite.
• Miami is 4-1 SU in its last five games against Boston.
• Boston is 2-4 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games.
• Miami is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games against the Atlantic Division.
• The total has hit the over in 10 of Boston's last 12 road games.
• The total has hit the over in four of Miami's last five games against Boston.

Celtics vs Heat Prediction & Pick

The Celtics were on their way to victory in Game 2 as they led 96-87 with just over six minutes remaining before the Heat went on a 24-9 run to close out the contest. Not only did the loss put Boston in an 0-2 hole, but it also marked its fourth loss in the last six outings.

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Part of Boston's latest loss was it going just 10-of-35 (28.6%) from the three-point line. I don't see that happening against seeing as the Celtics are great shooters on the road, averaging 16.0 threes (No. 1) on 37.8% shooting (No. 2) away from home. Meanwhile, the Heat surrender the second-most threes (13.3) on the 10th-best percentage (36.4%) at home.

On top of that, the Celtics haven't lost three consecutive games since the beginning of March. Yes, Joe Mazzulla's team is underperforming at the moment, but all skids must end. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of Boston's top players will get things back on track by cutting the series lead in half this weekend.

Final Score Prediction: Celtics: 114 | Heat: 110

Celtics vs Heat Best Bet

For the best Game 3 bet, I'm taking the over on the 214-point total. While both sides are solid defensively, that number is a bit disrespectful seeing as how the Celtics and Heat have averaged 227.5 points through the first two matchups.

The over is 10-2 in the Celtics' last 12 road games, as well as 10-3 in their previous 13 overall. On top of that, four of the Heat's past five games have gone over their projected totals. With the last six Boston-Miami matchups also averaging 225.7 points, it's clear that backing the over again is the smartest option.

Bet: Over 214 Total Points (-108)

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.