Heat vs. Celtics final score prediction for Game 2 of NBA Playoffs

After finishing with the NBA’s best regular-season record, the top-seeded Boston Celtics flexed their muscles in a dominant Game 1 performance against the No. 8 Miami Heat. The Celtics used a first-half flurry to take a 15-point lead into the locker room before pulling away in the third quarter en route to a 114-94 victory.

Boston has now ballooned to a 14.5-point favorite in Wednesday’s Game 2 matchup at TD Garden against a Miami squad lacking offensive firepower without star Jimmy Butler in the lineup. 

Using the latest betting odds for Game 2, here’s an attempt to predict the final score for tonight’s Heat-Celtics showdown before the series shifts to Miami for Games 3 and 4. 

Heat vs. Celtics odds, spread and total 

Heat vs. Celtics NBA expert prediction and pick

On paper, the Heat have been impressive when Butler is sidelined. This season, Miami has combined to go 13-10 overall without the six-time All-Star, but that record dropped to 6-8 against playoff teams following its Game 1 loss. 

Miami has been great in this spot with a 17-10 ATS record as a road underdog, the best mark in the Eastern Conference and second overall in the league behind only New Orleans. Boston is 23-17-2 ATS at home and has wiped the floor with opponents at TD Garden, going 38-4 straight up. 

Miami’s only shot to hang around in this game is to somehow find a way to set the tone with its style of play. The Heat rank 29th in the NBA in pace and rely on a defense that is No. 5 in the league in net rating. 

You can typically throw those trends out the window facing the Celtics, which are the odds-on favorite to win the NBA Finals and are the No. 2 team in the league in scoring, pouring in 122.9 points per game at home. 

However, Miami is led by one of the NBA’s best coaches in Erik Spoelstra, who has led the Heat to a 9-2 record in Game 2 following a loss in the series opener. 

Heat vs. Celtics final score prediction

An outright upset might be a tall task for the Heat playing in one of the league’s toughest venues, but Miami has been a stingy underdog all season and can hang around in this matchup. Boston buried 22 triples in its Game 1 victory and the Celtics will no doubt continue to let it fly, which is fine with Miami, a defense that ranked fifth in the NBA against triples this season. 

This looks like an inflated point spread for a team that is rolling right now. Miami keeps it to single digits in a game with a low point total.

Final score prediction: Celtics 106, Heat 97 

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Game odds update periodically and are subject to change