Matt’s Picks for Celtics vs. Heat Game 6

MATT’S PICKS FOR CELTICS VS. HEAT GAME 6 – Believe it or not, the Boston Celtics have extended this series to a Game 6 in Miami on Saturday. After being down 3-0, the Celtics have won the past two games, both of them by double figures, to give them a shot at making the NBA Finals for the second straight season. 

Of course, no team has even come back from a 3-0 deficit, but the Celtics are surely making people think they can make history. Let us examine the Game 6 preview and make a prediction.   

What Is Happening? 

After Game 3, everybody thought the Heat were going to bring out the brooms and finish this series with a four-game sweep in Miami. However, that’s not the case. 

The Celtics won Game 4 by 17 points and then responded with a Game 5 victory, 110-97. In both games, they have held the Heat under the 100-point threshold, and it doesn’t help that Miami was without Gabe Vincent for Game 5. 

Jayson Tatum dropped 33 in Game 4 to get the win, but the Celtics used an all-around team effort in Game 5. Four of the five Boston starters finished in double figures, and Derrick White led the way with 24 points as Marcus Smart finished second with 23. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each finished with 21 points on 50% from the field, and the Celtics as a team shot 50% from the field and 41% from three-point land. 

Oddly enough, the Heat shot a little better and finished with a 51.3% mark from the field, but the Celtics won assists, rebounds, steals, offensive boards, blocks, and turnovers. 

The Heat were surprisingly 8-point underdogs, and while I thought it would be a close Celtics win, it wasn’t at all. The Heat failed to score 30 points in any of the four quarters, and Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, and Max Strus combined for just 14 points. 

Game 6 Thoughts 

In all honesty, just about everybody thought this series would be over by now after Miami went up 3-0. Now, the Celtics are one win away from forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 in Boston, which would be something else. 

Prediction

Moneyline/Spread

The status of Gabe Vincent is up in the air, but it’s only a matter of time before Jimmy Butler puts the team on his back and brings them to the NBA Finals. Game 6 is that moment, and Butler drops 30-plus points in what is a must-win for Miami. 

The Heat get the win in a close game, and the Celtics’ chance at NBA history comes to an end. The Heat win and cover the spread. 

Over/Under 

The last two games have been somewhat of an offensive struggle for Miami despite decent shooting clips. However, that won’t last. The Heat have too many veterans who are capable of scoring, and we could see Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, or even Kevin Love give this team the jolt it needs. I expect both teams to come out firing with so much on the line, and the game goes over the 210 over/under total.