All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
What you need to know for the game Heat-Celtics 4
Follow with Smart: In this Game 3, we’re rooting for him to take over Marcus Smart’s prop markets, and we’re doing the same thing in this big game for the Celtics. Smart led the team in shooting (22) and shutouts (assists plus turnovers, 13) in Game 2 and, despite a serious sprained ankle and foul trouble in Game 3, outshone his props from points with 16 and led the team. in chances without a goal (11). The Celtics are comfortable with the ball in Smart’s hands, and the Heat also appear to be okay with him determining his fate. So why not take advantage of that in a critical home game?
Big on Bam: Miami scored a big Game 3 from Bam Adebayo, who played a postseason-high 41 minutes in a 109-103 victory after Jimmy Butler left with a knee injury. With Butler questionable for Monday’s Game 4 in Boston, Adebayo is reasonably priced in daily fantasy ($6,500 at DraftKings) and attainable scoring and defensive accessories. He’s expected to deliver around 40 fantasy points and has a high ceiling on Monday night.
–Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe
Breaking down Game 4
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, TD Garden, Boston
Line: Celtics (-6.5)
money line: Celtics (-280), Heats (+230)
Total: 207.5 points
Projected Total BPI: 210.8 points
BPI Earning %: Celts (67.4%)
Questionable: Marcus Smart (ankle), Robert Williams III (knee), Jimmy Butler (knee), PJ Tucker (knee), Kyle Lowry (hamstring)
Discarded: Tyler Herro (groin)
Note: BPI numbers take into account players who are out, but assume questionable players will play.
Unable: Tickets over have been cashed in only five of Miami’s 14 playoff games, including all three Eastern Conference finals games so far.
Compete for $40,000 during the NBA Postseason! Make your selections
Best bet: Jayson Tatum over 27.5 points. Tatum tied his game for the lowest scoring postseason with 10 points in Game 3. Prior to that game, he had averaged 31.5 PPG in his last six playoff games. The Celtics will need Tatum to step up if they want to win the series, and I expect him to come out strong tonight. –Eric Moody
Best bet: Jayson Tatum with 38.5+ points + assists + rebounds. Tatum struggled in Game 3, scoring 10 points (3-for-14 FG) with six rebounds and four assists in a close loss that put the Celtics down two games to one. This is eerily similar to what happened in the last round against the Bucks. Tatum struggled in Game 3, scoring 10 points (4-for-19 FG) with one rebound and three assists in a close loss that put the Celtics down 2-1. After that game, Tatum responded by averaging 36.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in his next three starts. I expect a similar comeback for Tatum this time around, starting with a big effort in Game 4. — Andre Snellings
Best bet: Jimmy Butler with 4.5+ assists. Butler missed the second half of Game 3 due to knee inflammation and is listed as questionable for Game 4. He has averaged 5.2 assists per game during the playoffs and could play the facilitator role on Monday night for the Heat. . — Grumpy
Best Bet: Bam Adebayo with 27.5+ points + assists + rebounds. Adebayo had a great performance in Game 3 and showed that the Heat can count on him to spread the floor on offense. Adebayo led Miami in points (31), rebounds (10), assists (6), steals (4) and blocks (1) in a playoff game for the first time in his career. The Heat, who lead this series 2-1, should lean heavily on him in Game 4. — Moody
Best bet: Celtics -6.0. The Heat have won just two of the 12 quarters in this series: the third quarter of Game 1 and the first quarter of Game 3. Miami won both quarters by a combined 46 points, but the Celtics won the other 10 quarters by a combined 54 points. . The Celtics are at home with their backs against the wall, so I think they’re unlikely to suffer another disastrous quarter in Game 4. Boston should win comfortably. –Snellings
Best bet: more than 207.5 points. I’ve hammered the over in every game in this series, and the over is 3-0. Both the Celtics and Heat are excellent defensive teams with offenses that are diverse and powerful enough to score reasonably over the course of the game. During their last five matchups, including the regular season, the two teams have averaged a combined 216.8 PPG and topped 207.5 in four of five outings. –Snellings
Source: www.espn.com