The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are set to collide for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night, with the series beginning at FTX Arena.
Jimmy Butler and the Heat defeated Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 in Round 2, while the Celtics handled the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks in seven games.
Miami and Boston met three times during the regular season, with the Celtics besting the Heat in two of those meetings.
Key injuries to watch as we head into this series include Kyle Lowry of Miami and Robert Williams of the Celtics, who was limited against the Bucks.
When and Where is the NBA Eastern Conference Finals
When: May 17th-May 29th
Where: Boston and Miami
How to Watch the NBA Eastern Conference Finals
Game 1 in Miami: Tuesday, May 17 @ 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2 in Miami: Thursday, May 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 3 in Boston: Saturday, May 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4 in Boston: Monday, May 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 in Miami: Wednesday, May 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)*
Game 6 in Boston: Friday, May 27 at 8: 30 p.m. ET (ESPN)*
Game 7 in Miami: Sunday, May 29 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)*
How to Bet the NBA Eastern Conference Finals
In addition to traditional bets like the moneyline, spread, and game total, there are several bets offered at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series Odds
Boston Celtics (-175) | Miami Heat (+145)
Series Spread
Boston Celtics -1.5 (+106) | Miami Heat +1.5 (-130)
Series Total Games
4 games (+600), 5 games (+260), 6 games (+180), 7 games (+195)
Eastern Conference Finals MVP
| Player | Team | Odds |
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | 105 |
| Jimmy Butler | Miami Heat | 200 |
| Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics | 900 |
| Bam Adebayo | Miami Heat | 1200 |
| Marcus Smart | Boston Celtics | 1800 |
The Miami Heat likely aren’t getting the respect they deserve after winning the East during the regular season and following that up with convincing victories over the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers. Jimmy Butler is a man on a mission, averaging 28.7 points per game in the postseason this year, which is a career-high. The Heat can keep this series close and it definitely has the makings of one that could go the distance, which means you should like the value you’re getting with the Heat +1.5 on the series spread at -130.
