Prediction, Best Bets & Odds Celtics vs Heat Game 6

Are we going to see NBA history on Monday night? After back-to-back Eastern Conference finals wins over the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics are two wins away from becoming the first team to erase a 3-0 deficit in an NBA playoff series.

But to position themselves to do so, the Celtics must first take Game 6 tonight in Miami (8:30 pm ET, TNT).

After getting routed by 26 in Game 3 at the Kaseya Center, it looked like the end was near for the Celtics. But they staved off the sweep with a 17-point road win in Game 4 then claimed a 110-97 win at home in Game 5 on Thursday night, setting up the chance to force a winner-take-all Game 7.

Only three NBA teams have been able to force a Game 7 after being down 3-0, with the most recent being the Portland Trail Blazers against the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2003 playoffs.

Will Boston become the fourth? Read on for our prediction and best bets for Celtics vs Heat Game 6.

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Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Odds

Spread

• Boston Celtics -3 (-110)
• Miami Heat +3 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 210 (-112)
• Under 210 (-108)

Moneyline

• Boston Celtics -144
• Miami Heat +122

Can the Heat Close Out the Celtics at Home?

This Eastern Conference finals series has fully showcased the potential of the Celtics at both ends of the spectrum.

In both of the first two games in Boston, they led by double digits in the second half but couldn’t seal the deal in either game. Then in Game 3, things got out of hand relatively early, as they spent most of the final three quarters trailing by double digits.

In Game 4, the Celtics trailed by six at halftime and by nine early in the third quarter, and it looked like they were just about done for.

And then, just like that, a switch seems to have flipped. Boston outscored Miami by 26 the rest of the way in Game 4, then outscored them by 15 in the first quarter of Game 5 to set the tone for a comfortable win.

Will the switch continue to stay flipped tonight, or will we see their worst pop up at the most inopportune time?

I’m inclined to favor the former. That switch can flip for them at any given time, which makes them dangerous to both bet on and bet against. As inexplicably bad as they can be at times, when they are good, they are really good.

Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Prediction and Best Bets

Prediction for Celtics vs Heat: Celtics to win

Best Bets for Celtics vs Heat: Celtics -3 & Celtics team total over 106.5 points

Even with the Celtics making things interesting, the Heat still have a slight edge as favorites to win the series. Ahead of tonight’s Game 6, Miami is a -135 favorite, while Boston is now +115 to win the series.

After tonight, that won’t be the case. That said, I fully expect the Heat to go into TD Garden and win Game 7 because that is the only logical outcome, right? But I think good Boston will show up again tonight to go where few teams have been able to across any of the major American sports.

Best Player Prop Bets for Celtics vs Heat

• Jayson Tatum over 16.5 rebounds + assists
• Jayson Tatum over 3.5 made threes

In Game 5, Tatum put up 21 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds to tally his fourth double-double of the series and his 13th in 18 games this postseason.

He has recorded 17 or more combined rebounds and assists six times in the playoffs, three of which have come in his last four games. I expect him to continue to be active on the boards and with setting up opportunities for others to score.

I also think his scoring will be key tonight, and I expect him to have more success from outside after he made just one of six from three in Game 5. Each of the previous five times he has failed to make multiple threes in a game this postseason, he has made at least three in the following game.