Celtics vs. Heat line, picks: Boston expert releases selections for Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 matchup
The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals continue on Thursday with a Game 2 matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat at 8:30 p.m. ET. Miami is favored by 3.5 points at Caesars Sportsbook, while the Over-Under is set at 207 (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our NBA odds page).Â
Before making any Celtics vs. Heat picks, you NEED to check out the NBA predictions from SportsLine expert Zack Cimini.
A Las Vegas handicapper who's never afraid to buck conventional wisdom, Cimini excels in multiple sports. Over the past 32 NBA selections, Cimini is 21-11, returning $890 to $100 players. He is also on an amazing 31-16-1 run with his last 48 against-the-spread picks involving the Celtics, returning $1,348 to $100 players.
Now he's set his sights on Game 2 of Heat vs. Celtics and has locked in his picks.Â
Cimini knows the Celtics are incredibly stingy on defense. Boston led the NBA in defensive rating during the regular season, yielding only 1.06 points per possession. That included league-leading marks in field goal percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, assists allowed, and several additional categories. The Celtics are also allowing less than 1.07 points per possession in the playoffs, with opponents shooting only 32.9 percent from 3-point range and averaging only 20.0 assists per contest.
He is also knows that Miami is enjoying incredible playoff success. The Heat lead the 2022 NBA playoffs in net rating, out-pacing opponents by more than 10 points per 100 possessions. Miami is scoring 1.15 points per possession, buoyed by a 31.3 percent offensive rebound rate and 15.3 second-chance points per game. On defense, the Heat are holding opponents to 19.3 assists per game and forcing 15.7 turnovers per game. That included 12 blocks and 10 steals in a Game 1 win over Boston.
Now, Cimini has set his sights on Celtics vs. Heat. We can tell you he is leaning under the total, and he's also isolated a critical X-factor that makes one side hit HARD! You ABSOLUTELY need to see what he has to say before locking in any NBA picks.
Who wins Celtics vs. Heat? And which critical x-factor makes one side hit HARD? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of Celtics vs. Heat you should be all over Thursday, all from the expert on a roll on NBA picks!
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