Are the Miami Heat in Trouble? Can the Celtics Make History?

The Miami Heat took a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Boston Celtics have closed the gap to 3-2. Can they complete the comeback? No team in NBA history has ever stormed back from a 3-0 deficit and advanced to the NBA Finals. In baseball, it’s happened before. The Boston Red Sox did it against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees. It’s happened in hockey, too, with the most recent comeback seeing the Los Angeles Kings overcome a 3-0 deficit over the San Jose Sharks. 

With that, what makes the Boston Celtics an attractive pick to become the first team in the NBA to complete this feat? Let’s dive into the series odds on the FanDuel Sportsbook and talk about the value and why it might be possible for them to make history. 

Celtics Listed at 3-Point Road Favorites in Game 6

Boston will hit the road to take on the Heat for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami will have two more chances to close things out, but Game 6 at home feels much more like a Game 7 with how the previous two games have gone. Miami is extremely well-coached, and they still appear calm despite losing the last two games in this series by double-digits. Despite those setbacks, Heat superstar Jimmy Butler hasn’t looked phased and remains confident that Miami will get the job done in Game 6 on their home floor. 

What has Boston changed up that’s finding success, though? For starters, their star players are engaged and shooting efficiently. The C’s have shot over 50% from the floor in the last two games, plus they’ve been getting contributions from players other than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. In addition, they’ve been more engaged on the defensive side of the floor, which we certainly hadn’t seen in the first three games when Miami took the series lead. 

Celtics Priced at +110 to Win ECF After Game 5 Win

The current prices show you the real talent discrepancy in this series. With Boston trailing Miami 3-2, the Celtics are now listed at just +110 to complete the comeback. If Boston can go into Miami on Saturday and win Game 6, there’s merit in those odds skyrocketing to the -200 range for them to win the series. The oddsmakers haven’t had a lot of faith in Miami, even after the Heat took a 2-0 lead. Only when Miami took that 3-0 stranglehold did the odds start to shift the Heat’s way. Now, Miami is listed at just -130 to advance to the NBA Finals. 

Boston has done this in the 2023 NBA playoffs, where they’ve played dead for portions of a series before coming alive. It appears that’s exactly what’s happened against Miami, meaning things don’t look good for the Heat now. Boston has found the level they need in the ECF, and although there’s not a ton of value in their current price tag, there’s still enough where it makes sense to buy into the number. 

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