What a run it’s been for the Miami Heat. From being on the brink of elimination, in their Play-In game at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, to knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks and now having a 3-0 series lead on the Boston Celtics.
Jimmy Butler is the central orchestrator, with some magic from Erik Spoelstra, but everyone is making this happen. Bam Adebayo has elevated his game, Gabe Vincent is thriving in his role, Caleb Martin is knocking down clutch shots, and Kevin Love, Max Strus, and Kyle Lowry are providing great minutes. Not to mention, Tyler Herro could add a boost in the near future.
The Heat could pull off a legendary Finals victory, only five victories shy of becoming the first eighth seed to win an NBA Championship.
Buy or Sell: Miami Heat to Win NBA Finals (+220)You could keep counting them out, I would slightly lean in favor of the Denver Nuggets, but at +220, the value is on the Heat’s side. Ignore the eight-seed label; they’re playing like a team with nothing to lose.
The Nuggets’ depth is impressive, and Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are playing absolutely lights out, but how do you bet against the Heat? They have the better coach and have an it-factor about them. While some will want Denver to win the championship, given how flawlessly the Nuggets have looked, I’d undoubtedly target the Heat’s series spread.
Additionally, I’d look to wait a few days before making this play. The sportsbooks have been in love with the Celtics all season, so if they pull out a Game 4 victory, this line likely will jump to +300. The risk-reward for the Heat closing out Game 4 on their home floor won’t be much, only dropping this line minimally, but not enough to outweigh a potential +300 in a hypothetical Game 5.
Buy or Sell: Jimmy Butler to Win Finals MVP (+285)Any scenario in which the Heat hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy would come off a legendary performance by Butler. No one else on the team has the power to single-handedly leave their mark on a series like Butler. Adebayo would also need to be solid to slow Jokic down. If you’re looking to buy the Heat to win the Finals, you might as well double down with Butler.
