Friday, May 25th, 2012
The veteran laden Boston Celtics will kick off a much anticipated best of 7 Eastern conference semifinal NBA playoff series against Lebron James and the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon.
Tip off time from Miami is scheduled for 3:30PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by ABC.
The betting odds opened up in game 1 of this NBA playoff series with the home standing Miami Heat favored by –5 points with an over under of 182 points.
Early money has landed on the side of the road club as the Miami Heat have dropped to a -4 ½ point betting favorite.
The over under has moved up to 182 ½ points.
Miami Heat money line gamblers will lay –150 odds with the road underdog Boston Celtics bringing back +140 odds to pull off the game 1 upset victory without the aid of points on their side.
The series odds to win this best of 7 Eastern conference semifinal playoffs reveal the Miami Heat is lined as a –195 favorite to advance to the Eastern conference finals with the Boston Celtics a +165 underdog to pull off the upset series win.
The teams met three times during the regular season with Boston winning the series 3-1.
Their first head to head match played in Miami took place way back on November 11th and it was the Boston Celtics with the 112-107 road win as a +7 ½ point underdog.
The game landed well over the total of 186 ½ points.
The Celtics enjoyed a 54.4% shooting performance in the win and connected on 9 of 16 from the three point line.
Ray Allen went off for 35 points on 13 of 23 shooting from the field and 7 of 9 from the three point line.
Paul Pierce chipped in with 25 points on 10 of 16 shooting.
Down low Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 13 boards with a solid 6 of 8 shooting.
This was an early season game as Miami was just developing chemistry defensively and greatly underachieved during this point of the season.
The team shot 50% from the floor and a very poor 3 of 16 from the three point line. They got to the line 41 times and made 32 free throws.
Lebron James led the Heat with 35 points with 10 rebounds and 9 assists.
Chris Bosh had 15 points and seven boards.
Dwyane Wade was off his game with just 8 points with 2 of 12 from the field and a poor 0 of 5 from three.
The Heat bench came through with 45 points.
The second meeting in Miami was played on April 10th and it was the Heat with the 100-77 blowout home win against the Celtics as a -6 point betting home favorite. The total went under 183 ½ points.
This game was of utmost important very late in the regular season and it had a great impact on home court advantage for this series between these clubs.
A win by Boston would have given them home court for this series but instead Miami won out and held on to the better record than Boston in the regular season.
The Heat was on fire connecting on 50.7% from the floor and 6 of 18 from the three point line.
The team pounded Boston on the glass by a 52-31 margin. Miami survived 18 turnovers.
Lebron James led the squad with 27 points on 11 of 19 shooting and seven assists.
Dwyane Wade had 14 points and 8 assists but was only 4 of 12 from the floor.
The Heat got good production from the bench with 32 points.
The Celtics connected on 45.3% of their shots and 6 of 13 from three. The team was very sloppy by committing 19 turnovers.
Paul Pierce led the team in a losing cause with 24 points on 9 of 14 shooting.
The Celtics bench did not produce as the unit had just 12 points.
The Boston Celtics advanced in the first round of the Eastern conference playoffs following a four game sweep of the New York Knicks.
The team averages 96.6 points a game and connects on 48.6% of their shots. The Celtics hit on 37% from three and make 77% of their free throws.
On defense the Celtics allow just 91.1 points per game as well as 43.2% shooting from the floor. Opponents hit on 43.2% from three against them.
In their series with the Knicks the club hit on 47.7% of theirs shots from the floor and a very good 46.7% from beyond the arc.
Paul Pierce has led Boston in the playoffs with 22.3 points per game. He has hit on 46.5% of his shots and 50% from three.
Pierce has averaged 17.3 points and 48.9% shooting against Miami on the season.
Ray Allen sits just behind Pierce with 22 points per game with an impressive 57.4% shooting percentage and 65.4% from the three point line.
Allen put up 20.3 points and 49.2% shooting from the field against the Celtics this season.
Point guard Rajon Rondo led the team with 12 assists per game plus he did a very good job on the glass with a 7.3 rebounds per game average.
Rondo played to his playoff average against Miami this season as he averaged 12 assists per game in his four meetings with the team.
Kevin Garnett in his four games against the Heat during the regular season he has averaged 16.5 points per game and 54.3% shooting from the field.
On the injury front center Shaquille O’Neal missed the Knicks series with a calf injury suffered on April 5th.
He is expected to return to practice shortly but has been listed as doubtful for game 1 but will most likely see action in this series.
Miami qualified for the second round of the NBA playoffs following a series win against the Philadelphia 76ers in five games.
The Heat put up 101.6 points per game and hits on 47.8% from the field. The team converts on 36.5% from three and 77.1% from the three point line.
On defense the club surrenders 94.1 points per game and 43.3% from three. The team gives up 34.7% shooting from three to their opponents.
In the series against Philadelphia the Heat had trouble from the three point line making just 28.9% of their shots.
Lebron James has led the club in the postseason with 24.2 points per game. He also leads the club in rebounds with 10.6 per game.
James has averaged 28.8 points per game and 48.8% shooting against the Celtics this season.
Dwyane Wade in the playoffs has averaged 22.2 points per game. He has struggled from three in the playoffs with just a 20% average.
Wade averages just 12.8 points per game against Boston this season with a very poor 28.1% shooting from the floor.
Chris Bosh averages 19.8 points per game in the Knicks series and shot well hitting on 48.1% from the floor.
Bosh in his four games against Boston averaged 15 points per game with a 55% shooting percentage.
Mike Miller is experiencing a thumb injury on his left hand and has been listed as questionable for game 1.
Forward Udonis Haslem has been sidelined for much of this season. He has been working out and practicing with the club and is expected to see some action in this series.
Trend: Boston Celtics is 3-1 ATS versus the Miami Heat this season.
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