Celtics vs Heat Picks & Odds (Oct. 21)

• The Celtics battle it out with the Heat on Friday in South Beach
• Boston, which beat Miami in the conference finals last season, is a slim 2.5-point road favorite here
• Find the odds, preview, and Celtics vs Heat prediction below

After the Boston Celtics (1-0, 1-0 home) won their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, they will be looking to take down another familiar foe in the Miami Heat (0-1, 0-1 home) on Friday, October 21st.

The tip-off is set for 7:30 PM ET at FTX Arena in South Beach and can be seen on ESPN. Continue reading for the Celtics vs Heat prediction.

Celtics vs Heat Odds

Odds as of October 20th at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Boston is favored by 2.5 points on the road Friday, with their moneyline odds at -144 for an implied win probability of 59%. The Heat, meanwhile, sit at +122 odds.

The C’s won two of three against Miami last season and beat them in seven games in the 2022 playoffs to take the Eastern Conference crown.

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Boston Celtics Betting Analysis

Despite all the offseason drama surrounding head coach Ime Udoka, who was suspended for the entire 2022-23 campaign, the Celtics picked up right where they left off on Tuesday at the TD Garden, taking down the Sixers by nine points. The star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both erupted for 35 points apiece to account for most of the damage, while summer addition Malcolm Brogdon also had 16 off the bench.

While Joe Mazzulla’s squad shot just 34% from downtown (12 for 35), they were extremely efficient from the field, shooting 56%. The C’s also did a fine job of cooking Philly in transition, outscoring them 24-2 in fastbreak points. That was a big difference-maker.

Back like we never left 😎 pic.twitter.com/xbIFn7n4DH

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 20, 2022

In total, five scorers finished in double-digits, with reigning DPOY Marcus Smart contributing 14 points and seven assists, too. There is a reason this group is one of the frontrunners in the NBA Championship odds. They’re truly that good on both ends of the floor.

Miami Heat Betting Analysis

Many believed Miami would comfortably handle the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night in their season opener considering the visitors were without star guard Zach LaVine. But, that was far from the case as Chi-Town won 116-108 behind DeMar DeRozan’s 37 points.

It's only game 1. pic.twitter.com/wbkv9C0vHt

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) October 20, 2022

Defensively, it wasn’t a great showing. After heading into the half tied 59-59, the Heat allowed the Bulls to go on a 34-19 run and it was difficult to claw back. The 19 turnovers didn’t help, either. Offensively, there were some positive takeaways though as Jimmy Butler balled out for 24 points, while Tyler Herro also posted 23. Sharpshooter Max Strus contributed 22 points off the bench as well while draining 5 of 7 from downtown.

The Bulls aren’t the Celtics. If Erik Spoelstra’s team allows Boston to go on a big run like that on Friday, it’ll be practically impossible to overcome. The goal will obviously be to contain Brown and Tatum, who are high on confidence at the moment. Given the defensive identity that Miami typically has, they should definitely be a lot better here. Wednesday was a wake-up call.

Celtics vs Heat Prediction

We know these two teams have enjoyed some epic battles in recent years, but I think Boston has the momentum currently after a statement victory over a very solid 76ers group. Take the Celtics with the points as they move to 2-0.

Pick: Celtics -2.5 (-110)