Celtics aim to rediscover early season form in Game 3 against the Heat

The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics are locked in a 1-1 series tie in the Eastern Conference first round, with the Heat securing a 111-101 victory in their last encounter. Tyler Herro led Miami with 24 points, while Jaylen Brown topped the Celtics' scoring with 33 points. Despite the Heat's recent win, ESPN Analytics forecasts a 71.2% probability of a Celtics victory in the upcoming game, compared to Miami's 28.8%. Interestingly, the point spread leans towards Miami as the favorite, capturing 67% of the bets, though 84% of the moneyline bets favor Boston.

The Heat, holding a 32-20 record against conference rivals, excel in defense, ranking second in the Eastern Conference by allowing only 108.4 points per game and restricting opponents to 46.7% shooting. On the offensive side, they are shooting 46.5% from the field. The Celtics, dominating their conference opponents with a 41-11 record, average 120.6 points per game and have outscored their rivals by 11.4 points per game, including making an average of 16.5 three-pointers per game, significantly higher than the 13.0 allowed by Miami.

Key players for Miami include Bam Adebayo, averaging 19.3 points and 10.4 rebounds, and Herro, who has posted an average of 16.1 points in his last 10 games. For Boston, Jayson Tatum leads with 26.9 points per game, and Payton Pritchard has been a standout, averaging 15.8 points on 55.1% shooting in recent games.

Over their last 10 games, Miami has averaged 110.5 points, while Boston has scored 115.6 points. The Celtics, having posted the league's best regular season record (64-18) and a solid 27-14 away record, remain unshaken after their home loss to the Heat. With a full roster and the combined strengths of Tatum, Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and the defensively adept backcourt duo of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, Boston is poised to regain home-court advantage by winning at least one game at the Kaseya Center in the forthcoming matchups.


Source Rotowire : Celtics, Heat Collide In South Beach
Source ESPN : Celtics, Heat tied 1-1 heading into game 3