NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Game 7 – Odds, Prediction, & Start Time

After a wild finish to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, NBA history can be made in Boston on Monday night. The Boston Celtics are one win away from becoming the first team to win a seven-game playoff series after being down 3-0. Teams are currently 0-151 in this scenario. The Celtics are the fourth team to force a Game 7 and the first to host the deciding game. The Miami Heat were 0.1 seconds away from winning the series at home on Saturday night. Now, they must find a way to win in Boston on Monday night to avoid being on the wrong side of sports history. The oddsmakers believe there’s a strong possibility of that happening. We are previewing Game 7 and looking at the Heat vs. Celtics odds at the TD Garden.

Since having a six-point lead at halftime of Game 4, the Heat were outscored by a combined 34 points over the next six quarters. That trend continued in Game 6–until the final few minutes. Miami trailed by 10 points with just under five minutes remaining in the game. The Heat then went on a 15-4 run, punctuated by three free-throws by Jimmy Butler to give Miami a one-point lead with 3.0 seconds remaining. The “.0” is very important, as after the Heat did a good job in forcing Marcus Smart into an off-balance shot, Derrick White followed up after inbounding the ball. What resulted was one of the biggest put-backs in NBA history.

Butler, who has been crucial to this incredible run by the 8-seed Heat, acknowledged that he will have to better in Game 7. The Heat star was just 5-for-21 shooting in Game 6 but wound up with 24 points thanks to going 12-of-14 on free throws. Bam Adebayo also had just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

Bright spots for Miami included Butler, Adebayo, and Caleb Martin each having double-digit rebound totals. Martin finished with a great line of 21 points and 15 boards. Gabe Vincent also returned after missing Game 5 with an ankle injury, scoring 15 points.

Boston, going into Game 6 with a 4-0 record in elimination games this season, started off well and got the crowd in Miami’s Kaseya Center on edge quickly. Jayson Tatum had 25 points at halftime and were controlling the pace of the game. After three quarters, the Celtics defense was continuing to confound the Heat. Miami didn’t break 100 in Games 4 or 5. After three quarters of Game 6, the Heat had 72 points.

But as we’ve seen from Boston in Games 1 and 2 of this series, you never know when this team will go ice cold. After ripping away wins in the fourth quarter of those two games in Boston, Miami charged back again and nearly won the series. White’s heroics saved the Celtics’ season, but Boston is well aware that they have some issues closing out wins.

Give credit to Jaylen Brown for answering honestly. Tatum was held to just six points in the second half, so Boston being able to win this game was something they had been unable to do when their star went cold.

Now, they head back home with all the momentum. But with a 5-5 record at TD Garden this postseason and the home team going just 2-4 in this series, it remains to be seen what home-court advantage will be worth.

There’s plenty of fun storylines going into this Game 7. It’s taking place in the same building that the NHL’s Florida Panthers–who set up shop just north of Miami–beat the Boston Bruins in overtime of a Game 7 last month. The Bruins, who had the best regular season in NHL history, went home, and the Panthers are awaiting their opponent in the Stanley Cup Final.

Additionally, the Celtics are looking to join the crosstown Boston Red Sox as the only team in their respective sports to win a series after being down 3-0. The Red Sox famously won the 2004 American League Championship Series over the New York Yankees and are still the only baseball team to successfully climb out of an 0-3 hole.

Neither of those will have a direct impact on this game, however. What is worth noting is Boston’s recent history in Game 7s. The Celtics have won three Game 7s over the past two playoffs. This year’s second-round win over Philadelphia and last year’s over Milwaukee in the same round were both blowout victories for the C’s. Boston also beat the Heat in Game 7 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, 100-96, on Miami’s home court.

Boston has shown that they excel the best with their backs to the wall, sitting at 5-0 with their season on the line. Miami has shown the ability to win on the road all playoffs. But the Celtics survived a poor shooting night to win Game 6, and the Heat still remain locked down by Boston’s defense. That will be the difference in Game 7.

Prediction: Celtics, 113-101