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Boston Is One Win Away From Their 22nd Finals Appearance

One of the most decorated franchises in NBA history can clinch the Eastern Conference crown tonight, but not if Jimmy Butler and the Heat have anything to say about it 😈 (4 min read)

Tonight's parlay is Heat +8.5 @ Celtics and Al Horford over 9.5 rebounds. More info below on a chance to win $100 👇

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Conference Finals Update

One half of the 2022 NBA Finals matchup is officially locked in, with the Golden State Warriors set to make their sixth championship appearance in the last eight seasons. Who they’ll face remains to be seen, but that could be decided tonight 😳

  • With a gritty 93-80 road win over the Heat on Wednesday night, the Celtics claimed a second straight victory and a 3-2 series lead

  • Boston is now just one win away from their 22nd NBA Finals appearance in franchise history (second-most all-time behind the Lakers' 32 trips)

It's win or go home tonight for the top-seeded Heat, and they'll have to get it done in front of a raucous Boston crowd. Here’s how the lines are shaping up for a crucial Game 6 at TD Garden 👇

  • Spread: Celtics -8.5

  • Moneyline: Celtics -405 (bet $405, win $100), Heat +320 (bet $100, win $320)

  • Over/Under: 201

Trivia Question: The last time Boston led Miami 3-2 in the ECF was in 2012, and it didn't go well for the Celtics. The Heat came back and ultimately went on to win the title; which team did they beat in the Finals? (answer below)

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Storylines To Watch

When you pair two hard-nosed, defensive-minded teams against each other in a conference finals matchup, chaos should be expected. However, to say this series has been difficult to get a read on would be an understatement 🥴

  • All but one game so far has been settled by double-digits, and the winning team has held a lead as big as 20 in each outing

  • Interestingly enough, home teams are just 2-3 in this series 👀

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to these blowouts, and with the exception of perhaps Playoff Al, no player on either team has been immune to their fair share of streaky shooting

  • Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown have all had at least one game this series in which they shot 25% or lower from the field on at least 14 attempts

  • Kyle Lowry hasn’t helped much either when active — the 2019 NBA champ has made just one shot from the field over the last two games 🥶

But let’s give Boston a little bit of credit for stifling the Heat's stars. If there’s one thing you can count on this series, it's defensive intensity

  • DPOY Marcus Smart makes the headlines, but the Celtics didn't get the best defensive rating in the league from just one player. Their entire starting unit has continued to frustrate opposing teams, just check this out 🔒

  • Miami has been impressive on D themselves, but after barely topping 80 in each of the last two games, they desperately need more offensive firepower. Could the potential return of Tyler Herro tonight be the boost they need?

After watching the team go 7-45 from deep in Wednesday’s night’s loss, Heat fans are undoubtedly praying for Herro's return. But if he can’t suit up, even more pressure will be on Butler to break out of his shooting slump 😬

Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Player Prop Central

Even with the inconsistent play we’ve seen this series, I’m still banking on the best players to shine the brightest on tonight’s big stage. Here are some player props worth checking out 👇

📍 Jimmy Butler O/U 21.5 Points

  • Recent performance aside, Butler is simply way too competitive to go out with a whimper. Regardless of the outcome, expect Butler to battle until the final whistle

📍 Al Horford O/U 9.5 Rebounds

  • Playoff Al has turned back the clock this postseason, averaging 11.3 RPG over his last three games

📍 Jaylen Brown O/U 24.5 Points

  • It’s almost inevitable that either Brown or Tatum (O/U 27.5) will have a big performance, but something tells me Brown will have eyes on replicating the 40-piece he had at TD Garden back in Game 3 😏

Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images

For My Parlay Gurus

We've yet to get a truly close game this series, much to the dismay of NBA fans, but I've got a hunch that changes tonight. I'm going with the Heat to keep it close, but I'm also banking on Al Horford continuing to feast. Take a look at this parlay 👇

  • Heat +8.5 @ Celtics: -110

  • Al Horford over 9.5 rebounds: +108

$100 on this bet would win you $297 — if we hit, make sure you email justin.schnell@itsovertime.com for a chance to win up to $100*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

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Trivia Answer: After defeating the Celtics in seven games, the Heat went on to beat the Thunder in five games to win the 2012 NBA Finals. The title was the second in franchise history, and the first of the "Big Three" era featuring LeBron, Wade and Bosh

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Many will enter, only some will win. Giveaway ends 12 hours after the completion of the final game references within the giveaway. The winner will be notified via the email address used to enter. Restrictions apply. See the General Conditions and Releases sections of Overtime's Terms of Use at https://overtime.tv/terms for additional giveaway terms