Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls go head-to-head on Friday night, as the Boston Celtics host the Miami Heat at the TD Garden.
The Heat (15–12, 7th East) snapped their five-game slide Thursday night in Brooklyn, but are right back to work on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Celtics (15–11, 4th East) have lost two straight — punctuated by a home loss to the Pistons Monday — but have won seven of their last ten and should be fully recharged after multiple days’ rest.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Miami Heat
- Out: Tyler Herro (Toe), Nikola Jovic (Elbow), Pelle Larsson (Ankle), Terry Rozier (Not With Team)
- Questionable: Andrew Wiggins (Lower Back), Davion Mitchell (Ankle)
Boston Celtics
- Out: Jayson Tatum (Achilles)
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. Boston enters as a 6.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Miami is listed as a +220 underdog. The game’s total is set at 229.5 points.
Heat vs. Celtics Preview
Miami Heat Preview
It’s hard for a matchup like this to come at a worse time for the Heat. Not only do they enter on the second leg of a back-to-back, but they’re also playing some of the worst basketball in the league.
Before Miami claimed its complementary win in Brooklyn, the Heat had dropped five consecutive games in uninspired fashion. While still a top-five scoring team with an NBA-high pace this season, they carry the NBA’s second-worst offensive rating and a brutal 24th-ranked net rating over their last six games.
Shouldering much of Miami’s offensive workload is the sharpshooting guard tandem of Tyler Herro and Norman Powell, both of whom average over 23 points per game on 40% efficiency from deep. But Herro, hampered by a toe injury, is set to miss Friday’s contest.
Miami has remained stout defensively, anchored by the glass-cleaning frontcourt duo of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. Still, the absence of Herro spells trouble for a Heat offense that has seemingly frozen over.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Celtics haven’t just held strong without Jayson Tatum — they’ve remained one of the NBA’s toughest teams. After opening the season with three straight losses, Boston has gone 15–8 and owns the fourth seed in the East.
Despite dropping back-to-back games against the Bucks and Pistons, the Celtics have won seven of their last ten games and boast a top-two offense over that stretch. Anchoring Boston’s clean, methodical scheme is Jaylen Brown, who’s averaging a career-high 29.3 points per game and has scored 30 or more in eight of his last nine outings — including a pair of 40 pieces. The 2024 Finals MVP is flanked by sharpshooting guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, fueling a perimeter attack that knocks down the NBA’s second-most threes per game.
While Boston’s coverage grades out as average by defensive rating, the Celtics still rank fourth in opponent field-goal percentage and second in points allowed.
Heat vs. Celtics Pick, Best Bet
A short-rested, sputtering Miami offense stands little chance against a fully charged Boston battalion — especially without a Herro to save them. Count on the Celtics to ride the hot hand of Brown and comfortably cover the modest 6.5-point spread Friday night.
