The Miami Heat have been stinking up the joint since Jimmy Butler got hurt in Game 3. Now, the Boston Celtics are heavily favored to finish them off via the NBA 2022 playoffs Celtics vs Heat Game 6 picks. Can Miami bounce back and put up a better performance? Or will Boston avenge their defeat from the bubble and return to the NBA Finals?
As the Boyz II Men song goes: "We've come to the end of the road, still I can't let you go." But in the case of the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, it's time to let go of the Miami Heat as the NBA online betting odds have. As unfathomable as it was, Miami's offense got even worse as the team was blown out and embarrassed in Game 5. With Jimmy Butler ailing, it may be time for the Celtics to send the Heat home.
Heat vs Celtics Game 6 Preview: Bet Boston To Ice The Heat
The Heat-Celtics series has proven to be less of a competitive series than an exercise in blowouts. However, the turning point came when Butler was hurt in Game 3. While the Heat still won the game, Boston seized the momentum of the series and never looked back. Our Game 5 picks couldn't get any more wrong as Miami had nothing to offer for Boston the moment the Celtics' offense kicked into high gear. And this Friday, bank on Boston to finish this unwatchable series.
| Away Team |  | | Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Heat +8.5 | -110 | -110 | Boston Celtics -8.5 |
| Miami Heat ML | +325 | -425 | Boston Celtics ML |
| Total | Total | ||
| Over 201 | -110 | -110 | Under 201 |
Celtics Heavily Favored To Return To The NBA Finals
A lot can change in two years. In 2020, the Miami Heat had taken the fight out of the Boston Celtics and finished them off in six games. Now, the Boston Celtics are heading home with, according to NBA odds from the MyBookie sportsbook, a better than a 75 percent chance to prevail.
Boston fought Miami to a tight first half in Game 5. The team shot just 38.2 percent from the field and scored just 37 points. But coach Ime Udoka lit a fire in his team and the Celtics stormed out of the gates and outscored Miami 32-16 in the third. And the rest was history.
The Celtics forced the Heat to just four made field goals in the quarter. Miami shot just 12-of-46 from the field and 3-of-24 from three in the second half in what was such a terrible display on offense you almost felt sorry for them. Miami's starters continued to struggle. If we exclude Bam Adebayo, who was the only Heat player playing well, Miami's starters shot just 7-of-40 from the field.
Kyle Lowry and Max Strus went a combined 0-15 in Game 5.
According to @EliasSports, that's the worst 0-fer for a starting backcourt in playoff game since starters were officially tracked in 1970-71. pic.twitter.com/PiGKhQQAA3
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 26, 2022
Max Strus continued to be ice cold as he's failed to make a field goal for the past two games. Kyle Lowry, playing with an injury, failed to score. He is unlikely to play for Game 6 and that may be better for Miami as he was clearly a liability on the floor. Victor Oladipo, who was supposed to be Miami's spark plug off the bench, was also held to 1-of-7 shooting.
Sometimes there isn't much to analyze here. Can the Miami Heat bounce back and play better for Game 6? Yes. The Heat did play sound defense to start the game. But with Butler clearly not the same, the Heat's offense has tanked. Boston is inconsistent offensively but this team can catch fire and end things in a hurry. Bet on Boston to finish the job this Friday.
Garbage Time Scoring Could Be Clutch In Totals
How long can the scoring go? We were off in predicting Game 5 to have higher scoring than what we've seen. The Miami Heat are in the middle of one of the most historically bad stretches of offense by any playoff team. For the past two games, Miami has shot 32.6 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from three. The Heat have scored 162 total points.
As bad as Miami has been, fading the score here could be too easy. Ten of Boston's last 15 games against Miami have gone over the total and 60.9 percent of Miami's games as a road underdog have gone over (14-9-0). No doubt this game will be determined by the defense. But as we mentioned, Boston can get hot and light Miami up.
In a blowout, we could also see the reserves take the floor for an extended period of time. This could lead to a lack of defense and plenty of garbage time scoring going wild. In the end, 201 points shouldn't be too hard to beat even if Miami has been colder than the ice age.
