Heat vs Celtics Game 2 Prediction & Best Bets: Will Boston Have Another Garden Party Against Miami?

Well, I can freely admit I was wrong about the Miami Heat. Despite being without Jimmy Butler, I was optimistic that the Heat would still push the Boston Celtics in Sunday’s series opener at TD Garden.

Then the Celtics jumped out to a 14-0 lead, withstood the Heat’s lone attempt at resistance, then rolled on their merry way to a 114-94 win in which they led by as many as 34.

One of the joys of betting on sports is when a pick hits in the waning moments of a game, whether it’s a last-second shot in basketball, a late touchdown in football, or an injury-time goal in soccer.

Then, there are times where you know your pick is done with so much time left that you can complete the five stages of grief before the game wraps up.

That was the case with Game 1 between the Heat and Celtics. How will tonight’s Game 2 (7:00 pm ET, TNT) play out?

• Read on for the best spread and player prop bets for Heat vs Celtics Game 2.
• See which betting trends and stats make the Celtics the best pick tonight.
• Learn about the best places to bet on Heat vs Celtics and Game 2 between the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 pm ET, TNT).

One game doesn’t necessarily indicate how a series is going to go. That said, Miami seemingly has a lot to do to come back from Game 1, especially with Jimmy Butler sidelined again tonight (and potentially out for the entire series).

For Boston, Game 2 is an opportunity to hit Miami hard again and position themselves well for the next two games at the Kaseya Center, which will take place Saturday (6:00 pm ET, TNT) and Monday (time and TV TBD).

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s NBA playoff action.

Spread

• Miami Heat +14.5 (-110)
• Boston Celtics -14.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 205.5 (-110)
• Under 205.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Miami Heat +700
• Boston Celtics -1100

Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Prediction and Best Bets

Though they have reached the Eastern Conference finals in three of the last four seasons under three different head coaches, the Celtics have only the one NBA Finals trip and a lot of criticism to show for it because of their relationship with prosperity is tenuous, at best.

This postseason is an opportunity to show that there has been growth in that area. Game 1 was a positive sign, but Game 2 must follow suit. Even giving Miami a sniff could be dangerous, especially when Butler is out indefinitely.

A team that won 64 of 82 games in the regular season is going to be pretty solid in stringing wins together, which was the case for the Celtics. In games following a win, Boston is 50-14 SU (78.1%) and 32-28-4 (53.3%) ATS. While the ATS mark isn’t first in the NBA like the SU record (the Oklahoma City Thunder are #2 at 40-17, 70.2%) is, it’s still a fairly respectable ninth (the Houston Rockets were first, with the Orlando Magic first among playoff teams).

The Heat, meanwhile, are 22-15 SU (59.5%) and 19-18 ATS (51.4%) in games following a loss this season. The former record is 16^th in the NBA, while the latter record is 15^th.

Those aren’t terrible numbers, but I don’t have high hopes of Miami improving upon them after their abysmal showing on Sunday.

Heat vs Celtics Prediction: Celtics to win

Heat vs Celtics Best Bets: Celtics -14.5 & Jayson Tatum over 39.5 points + rebounds + assists (-114 at BetOnline)

Other NBA Playoffs Betting Information

Where to Bet on Heat vs Celtics and the NBA Playoffs

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Looking to make some player prop picks for tonight’s matchup at MSG? Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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BetOnline is running a $10,000 NBA playoff bracket contest, which will award $500 to the winner. Don’t miss out on your chance to cop some extra cash. Entries are open until tonight (Monday, April 22) at 7:00 pm ET.