Miami Heat to cover vs Celtics and advance to 2023 NBA Finals

  • Go to BetOnline or Bovada for the latest odds on the Celtics vs Heat matchup
  • Erik Spoelstra will advance to his sixth NBA Finals as Miami’s head coach with a victoryΒ 
  • TNT airs Game 4 from Kaseya Center in Miami on Tuesday, May 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET

ESPN analytics gave Miami just a 3% chance of winning the Eastern Conference Finals. But, after demolishing the Celtics 128-102 in Game 3 on Sunday, they are just one win away from a 4-0 series sweep and an improbable trip to the NBA Finals.

No team has ever come back from being down 0-3 in an NBA playoff series. Can Boston hand Miami their first home loss of the 2023 postseason or will Erik Spoelstra’s club finish the job?Β Before we look at the opening line for Game 4, check out the latest 2023 NBA Playoff Betting Odds and our guide to betting on NBA basketball.

Heat vs Celtics – Game 4

BetOnline ReviewSpreadMoney LineTotal Points
Boston Celtics+1.5 (-110)+103Ov 215.5 (-113)
Miami Heat-1.5 (-110)-123Un 215.5 (-107)

Miami dominates

After scoring at least 25 points in 12 straight playoff games, Jimmy Butler finished with only 16 points in Game 3. Needless to say, his off shooting night didn’t help Boston. Six Miami players scored in double figures in a 128-102 victory that had everyone questioning the Celtics’ mental toughness.

Jayson Tatum registered only 14 points on 6-of-18 shooting and Jaylen Brown was 6-of-17 from the field, finishing with just 12 points. The two were a combined 1-of-14 from beyond the arc while the Heat shot a ridiculous 54.3% (19-of-35) from 3-point range.Β Boston trailed by as many as 33 in Game 3 and waved the white flag by playing their reserves throughout the fourth quarter.

Sweet, sweet revenge

The No. 8 seed Heat are 11-3 in the postseason after barely squeaking by the Bulls in the play-in game. Through 14 playoff contests, they have the second-best offensive rating in the NBA, only behind the Nuggets. This is despite ranking 25th in offensive rating during the regular season and losing key players such as Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo.

Miami seems motivated to get revenge on a Celtics team that eliminated them from the playoffs on their home court in Game 7 of the 2022 East finals. All 149 teams in NBA history have lost the series after falling behind 3-0. And, even if Boston could force a Game 5 at home, they’re only 11-12 at TD Bank Garden in the playoffs over the past three years.

Miami HeatTo Win Series 4-0
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-125
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Miami HeatTo Win Series 4-1
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+400
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Boston vs Miami

Miami is a 1.5-point home favorite on Tuesday night after being listed as the underdog in three consecutive wins over Boston. Just one victory away from making his sixth trip to the NBA Finals, Erik Spoelstra has coached his squad to an undefeated 6-0 record at Kaseya Center this postseason. Jimmy Butler is also rested and ready to go after only playing 31 minutes in Game 3 – that’s 11 minutes fewer than his playoff average.

The Game 4 over-under is set at 215.5 points. Keep in mind that the Heat have hit the OVER in four of six home contests this postseason, and in six of seven games against the Celtics in 2023.

Best Bet

β€œThe lack of mental toughness. It’s embarrassing … that was an embarrassment for the Celtics,” said TNT’s Charles Barkley at halftime of the Celtics’ blowout Game 3 loss.

If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown don’t play better on Tuesday night, big changes can be expected in Boston. However, head coach Joe Mazzulla seems incapable of strategizing or mobilizing his troops. We like the Miami Heat to cover the 1.5-point spread and advance to the 2023 NBA Finals.

Miami HeatTo Cover vs Boston
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-1.5
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Steve Starr

Steve is the quintessential American sports enthusiast. He has mastered the art of Sundays, devoting them to football, and barbecue parties. He proudly wears the hats of a good father, husband and a great dog owner. Aside from his decades of contributing to different top-tier sports publications, Steve has also found his niche on Twitter, where he publishes funny and relatable sports-related insights. When he's not busy tweeting, Steve loves to watch each game unfold live. He possesses an innate talent for finding humor in the sports world, appreciating both the thrilling moments and the comedic mishaps that make each event unique.