The Celtics and Heat have been off for the past few days but they’ll be back in action on Wednesday for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Celtics were able to grab a much-needed win in Game 3, but will they be able to do it again in Game 4?
Let’s break down some of my favorite bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Wednesday’s NBA slate.
DraftKings users can get in on the action by betting on DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DK Sportsbook app.
Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics:
Celtics -3.5 (-109)
The Celtics got a massive boost to their lineup in Game 3 with Gordon Hayward returning from injury. He was their second-best player during the regular season in terms of Net Rating differential and the Celtics ultimately outscored opponents by +9.1 points per 100 possessions with Hayward on the court.
The addition of Hayward also allowed head coach Brad Stevens to experiment with a unique lineup combination. The five-man group of Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown didn’t play a ton of minutes together during the regular season, but they were +12 over six minutes together in Game 3. Stevens went to that lineup to close both halves and we could definitely see a bit more of it again today. That lineup won’t be able to play against every team, but it seems to fit perfectly vs. the Heat. They don’t play a traditional PF and their only big man isn’t someone who typically does a lot of damage as a post scorer.
I think the Celtics are a solid play in Game 4. Hayward being back in the lineup makes the Celtics better, but that’s not really being reflected in this line. The 3.5-point spread is very similar to the number in games without Hayward and I think he’s worth a least a couple of points toward the spread.
The early betting numbers suggest that the sharps agree with me. A whopping 99% of the spread dollars have landed on the Celtics, so it wouldn’t be shocking if this number rises before tipoff.
Boston Celtics to win the series (+115)
The real time to grab the Celtics was before Game 3, but I still think there’s some value in grabbing them at +115. They’re going to be favored in each of the remaining four games and they need to win three to the Heat’s two. If I think they can win Game 4 – which I obviously do – there’s no reason to think they can’t win the series.
They will become the favorites once again if they record the win in Game 4, so this is your last chance to grab the Celtics if you haven’t already done so.
Goran Dragic points:
Over 18.5 (-110)
I really don’t get this line at all. Dragic has been arguably the Heat’s best player during the postseason, particularly from an offensive perspective. He’s led the team in both usage and points and he’s scored at least 19 points in eight of 12 postseason contests. He’s coming off a poor showing in his last outing – he scored just 11 points over 28.4 minutes – but he’s still averaged 21.7 points per game during this series. This looks like an excellent opportunity to buy low on him.
Place your bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DK Sportsbook app.
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