Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Bet Builder Tips: Wednesday, May 25th

Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals takes place tonight at 01:30 (UK Time) at FTX Arena in Miami, Florida. The series is tied up at 2-2 with both teams stealing a road game each, but it’s time to slowly put it to rest. The Celtics are considered slight favourites in this game, but the Heat have repeatedly proven they are a handful. Have a look at my 3-piece Bet Builder for tonight’s game as well as my betting analysis in the article below.

In this article:

• Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics  Betting Analysis
• Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics  Bet Builder Tips

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The Miami heta are going back to FTX Arena after losing game 4 by a devastating 102-82 result.  It’s been a difficult series for both teams, but Eric Spoelstra’s boys are counting on home-court advantage to help them take game 5 and regain the lead in the series. Their lack of spacing and offensive flexibility was evident last time around as their starters combined for just 18 points, and the team shot just 33.3% from the field.

The Heat have struggled to find the basket throughout this series, averaging just 102.8 points per game on a poor field goal percentage of 49.6%. This is a cause for concern, especially given the fact they are one of the slowest teams in the league. The Heat have been battling some injury issues in the last 2 games, and their top scorer Jimmy Butler has been a no-show in Boston. That said, they have won 7 of their 8 home playoff games this offseason, so don’t be surprised if they get back into the lead tonight.

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More tips for this game at our Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics tips page

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The Boston Celtics got the job done last time they faced the Heat in Miami, stealing a road game and coming back home with a solid advantage. But they lost game 3 in Boston by 109-103, allowing Bam Adebayo to go off for a 30-point performance. They have had an excellent season so far, performing well on both sides of the floor, but in this series, it’s their defence that has been their bread and butter. The Celtics are taking full advantage of the Heat’s spacing issues, and are making sure to suffocate their offence as much as possible.

The Celtics have been excellent on the road this offseason, winning 5 of their 7 games so far, but the Heat battered them in Game 1, with Jimmy Butler going off for 41 points and 5 assists. The Celtics’ defensive rating drops from 102.3 when playing at TD Garden to 109.9 in road games, and they also allow almost 8 points more away from home. That said, the bookmakers have them as slight favourites in this one, giving up a point and a half in the Asian Handicap, and they are available at 1.80 odds.

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Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics  Builder Tips

• Miami Heat +1.5
• Jayson Tatum Under 3.5 Threes Made
• Marcus Smart Over 5.5 Assists

Bet Builder is available at odds of 6.00

Odds as at 2 pm May 25th. Odds may now differ.

The Miami Heat finished the regular season as the top seed in the east with 53 wins and 29 losses. The disrespect by the bookies is real, and regardless of their performance last game, they should certainly not be dogs at home. The Heat have won 7 of their 8 home playoff games in the playoffs so far, so don’t be surprised if they bounce back and grab the victory in this one. I expect a much closer game this time around, and a point and a half for the home team is always a tempting offer.

Jayson Tatum’s three-point shooting has been terrible in this series, as he’s averaging just 2 threes per game on just 27.6%. This is no coincidence, you know the Miami Heat have had elite perimeter defence all season, keeping opponents to just 33.9% from beyond the arc. Tatum made just 1 three-pointer out of 7 attempts last game, and I don’t expect him to suddenly find his aim in a road playoff game. Even during the regular season, he averaged 3.0 threes made per game, so the 3.5 is looking a bit too high.

Marcus Smart has only played 2 games in this series due to an ankle injury, but when he was on the court, boy oh boy. 24 points and 12 assists in Game 2 and 16 points with 7 assists in Game 3. He is listed as ‘Game Time Decision for tonight, but he’s gotten a lot of rest in the last few weeks and is more than capable of pitching in. Most of Miami’s focus will be on Tatum and Brown, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s in those situations when Smart can really show his talents.

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