Boston Celtics Concerning Trend as Big Favorites Should Scare Bettors
By Reed Wallach
The Boston Celtics just can’t seem to figure out the Miami Heat.
The No. 1 seed Celtics dropped Game 2 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs to the No. 8 seed Miami Heat, who used a 53% three-point shooting night to out-pace Boston.
The Celtics, who lost to the Heat as massive favorites in last year’s Conference Finals, now are tied heading back to Miami despite being overwhelming favorites to advance. This follows a trend of futility for Boston in the role as big favorites in the postseason.
Over the last three years in the playoffs, the Celtics are now 10-11 SU as favorites of 5+ points.
— Evan Abrams (@EvanHAbrams) April 25, 2024
The rest of the NBA is 62-20 (76%) in that spot -- Boston has 36% of those total playoff losses. pic.twitter.com/v5SjCu2FgV
The Celtics don’t just struggle to cover as favorites of north of two possessions, the team struggles to win the game outright when expected to do so, as noted above.
Miami is down its best player Jimmy Butler, but used a torrid shooting night to defeat the Celtics and even the series. However, oddsmakers aren’t budging on the fact that the Celtics have the edge in this one.
Boston is still -1200 to advance out of this series and has been listed as eight-and-a-half point road favorites for Game 3.
Here’s the odds for Saturday’s Game 3:
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Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat Game 3 Odds
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.