Celtics-Heat NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 Same-Game Parlay

Bet on this four-leg, same-game parlay at SI Sportsbook for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Heat and Celtics.

Author:
Kyle Wood
Publish date:
May 19, 2022

In this story:

Boston Celtics

Miami Heat

The Heat mounted a massive third-quarter run in Game 1 against the Celtics to retake the lead and they never relinquished it.

Miami outscored Boston by 25 points in the quarter and won 118-107 behind Jimmy Butler’s 41-point masterpiece. The series resumes Thursday night with Marcus Smart and Al Horford potentially back in the lineup for the Celtics and Kyle Lowry still out.

There are rather enticing odds for this same-game, four-leg parlay I put together on SI Sportsbook. Find each leg and its explanation below.

Regular-season record: 117-113-2
Play-in/playoffs record: 61-60

Bet on the NBA Playoffs at SI Sportsbook

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives to the basket between Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and center Daniel Theis (27) during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals playoff series, Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Miami. — Lynne Sladky/AP

No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 1 Heat (Miami leads series, 1-0)

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Spread: Celtics +3.5 (-110) | Heat -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Celtics (+138) | Heat (-163)
Total: Under 207.5 (-110) | Over 207.5 (-110)

Leg 1: Over 207.5 Total Points

The over for Game 1 hit easily. The Celtics and Heat combined for 125 points, easily cracking the 203 projection. The line has risen for Game 2, though not enough to scare me off backing the over. Miami games are slowly trending in the direction of the over. Its first six playoff games were all unders but overs are 3-3 over the last six. Boston is also trending in that direction—the over has hit in three of its last five games.

Leg 2: Jaylen Brown Over 5.5 Rebounds

Brown tallied his second double-double of the postseason in Game 1 with Horford, the Celtics’ leading rebounder, out. He averages 6.8 rebounds per game this postseason, the second-most on the team. His rebounding numbers against the Nets were modest before they spiked against the Bucks when Boston needed his assistance on the glass. That’s the case again against Miami with Horford (COVID-19) sidelined.

(UPDATE: Horford has been upgraded to questionable for Game 2.)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket as Miami Heat center Dewayne Dedmon (21) defends during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals playoff series, Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Miami. — Lynne Sladky/AP

Leg 3: Jayson Tatum Over 4.5 Assists

Tatum’s playmaking took a notable leap in the playoffs. He averaged a career-best 4.4 assists per game in the regular season, a solid number for a scorer of his caliber, and he’s improved that to 6.1 dimes in the postseason, second-most on the team. Tatum has gone over this figure in nine of 12 games, including six assists against in Game 1. Smart, who leads the team in assists, is expected to return to the lineup Thursday, though Tatum can still rack up assists with Smart in the lineup.

Bet on the NBA Playoffs at SI Sportsbook!

Leg 4: Jimmy Butler Over 27.5 Points

Butler is averaging just under 30 ppg in the playoffs. He has a trio of 40-point games to his name, including Game 1 against Boston’s vaunted defense. Butler has gone over this relatively high total in six of 11 games and I’m confident in his ability to get to at least 30 once again, especially given his shooting efficiency and the frequency with which he got to the free throw line in that first meeting.