The Boston Celtics (47-19) travel to face off against the Miami Heat (29-36) on Friday, March 14th. This game will be played at Kaseya Center in Miami and televised on NBCS. Both the Celtics and Heat will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip off is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Celtics vs Heat

The Celtics Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Boston’s season record dropped to 47-19 after a 118-112 home loss to the Thunder on Wednesday. The Celtics were favored by 3 points but failed to cover the spread, and the game’s total of 230 points narrowly exceeded the over/under line of 228.5.

Oklahoma City’s 11-0 run, which stretched the score from 70-68 to 79-70, was a key moment. The Celtics battled back to tie the game at 88 heading into the 4th quarter, but the Thunder outscored them 30-24 in the final period to seal the win.

The Heat Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Heat fell to 29-36 on the season after a 119-104 home loss to the Clippers on Wednesday. Miami, who were favored by 2 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 223 went over the pre-game line of 206.5 by 16.5 points.

Miami got off to a slow start, trailing 30-20 after the 1st quarter. They bounced back in the 2nd, outscoring the Clippers 32-27, but couldn’t sustain the momentum. The Clippers edged Miami 35-32 in the 3rd quarter and pulled away in the 4th, outscoring the Heat 27-20.

Celtics Offense Breakdown

In their 118-112 loss to the Thunder, the Celtics shot 43.6% from the field, with a poor 31.7% from beyond the arc. Despite the struggles, they connected on 20 threes overall.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Derrick White and Al Horford each hit 6 threes, finishing with 22 and 18 points, respectively. White added 10 points in the opening quarter.

Heat Offense Breakdown

In the Heat’s 119-104 loss to the Clippers, Tyler Herro led the way with 31 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds, shooting 56.5% from the field. Andrew Wiggins added 22 points, while Duncan Robinson contributed 15, hitting 5 threes at a 55.6% clip.

Miami connected on 14 threes, shooting 37.8% from deep and 47.6% overall. Herro scored 13 points in the 3rd quarter, while Wiggins added 11 in the same period.

Celtics Team Defense

The Celtics gave up 118 points to the Thunder, with their toughest defensive stretches coming in the 1st and 4th quarters, where they allowed 33 and 30 points, respectively. Their best defensive effort came in the 3rd, holding the Thunder to 25 points. Overall, Boston allowed Oklahoma City to shoot 48% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Celtics limited the Thunder to 13 made threes on 35% shooting. Boston also sent Oklahoma City to the line 35 times, where they converted 25 free throws. Defensively, the Celtics recorded 9 steals and 6 blocks.

Heat Team Defense

Defensively, the Celtics gave up 118 points to the Thunder, allowing 33 points in the 1st quarter and 30 in both the 2nd and 4th. Their best defensive effort came in the 3rd, where they allowed 25 points.

Boston held Oklahoma City to 13 made threes on 35% shooting from deep. The Thunder went to the line 35 times, making 25 free throws. The Celtics recorded 9 steals and 6 blocks in the game.

Celtics vs Heat Trends

• Through their last three road contests, the Celtics offense has averaged 110 points per game while allowing an average of 107. Boston posted an overall record of 2-1 while going 1-2 ATS.
• Through their last five home games, Miami has an ATS record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 107 points per game.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Heat have gone 3-0 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-3.
• In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Celtics have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 5-5.

Celtics vs Heat Prediction

The Celtics is our selection to secure the victory, with a projected score of 138-126. We also like them to cover the spread, so we suggest betting on the Celtics at -8.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 216 and our model has the Celtics and Heat finishing with a combined 264 points. Our pick is to take the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.