The Boston Celtics got the TNT treatment for their historic opening night victory over the Philadelphia 76ers this past Tuesday, and now on October 21, they’ll get the ESPN treatment for their first road game of the season against the Miami Heat.
Miami didn’t have the same sterling start to their season the Cs did, having lost in their own home opener against the Chicago Bulls. While the Heat had three 20+ point scorers (Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Max Strus) they also had no answer to DeMar DeRozan, who went for 37/9/6 in the 116-108 Bulls win — this without Zach LaVine, who was out due to a flare-up in the same left knee that underwent a clean-up surgery in the offseason.
Miami was a game away from the NBA Finals last June, but few see them as a legitimate threat to get over the hump in 2022-23 as they did two years ago down in the Lake Buena Vista postseason bubble. The reason? A lack of offseason movement outside of re-signing their own players.
The Boston Celtics can knock the Heat down further with a victory Friday night in their second straight nationally televised game of the season. Can Joe Mazzulla run his record to 2-0 as head coach and make a case to have his interim title removed?
Hardwood Houdini has your odds and a prediction for the first half of a Sunshine State back-to-back between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat (all odds provided by WynnBET):
Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat odds, spread
The Celtics are 1.5-point favorites against the Heat. Miami is a +105 underdog while Boston’s ML is set at -125.
Celtics vs. Heat prediction
Miami gave Boston a serious run for its money during this past spring’s Eastern Conference finals, and the Cs lack Robert Williams here in the early going of the 2022-23 season. The ingredients for a Heat victory are there, but both of these teams are on a much different trajectory.
While Erik Spoelstra has the history, Joe Mazzulla has the momentum — not to mention a superior roster with more to lose if this season doesn’t surpass the last. Give me the C’s spread and let’s move this campaign to 2-0.
Pick: Celtics -1.5 (-110)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.