After Monday’s Best Bets had a dreary 0-2-1 showing in Major League Baseball, you better believe we are excited to have the NHL and NBA playoffs back.
We’ll be focusing on the latter half of that Tuesday, as all three Best Bets come from the hardwood — specifically, Game 1 of the Celtics-Heat series in Miami.
It’s the Eastern Conference finals! Check out our Best Bets, find the best numbers, and get your popcorn ready for this postseason showdown.
All odds are updated as of 2:45 p.m. ET on May 17.
Best Bets Track Record
Monday: 0-2-1
Year-To-Date: 82-84-2
Bostonian vs. The Book: 25-26-2
BetPrep Prop of the Day: 21-34
NBA Props: 28-17
NHL Props: 6-6
MLB Props: 1-1
MLB Sides: 1-0
NBA Total: Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
The bet: Heat-Celtics Under 204
The odds: -110
Where to bet: Caesars Sportsbook
From: Matt Perrault via The Bostonian Vs. The Book podcast
Matt Perrault, host of The Bostonian vs. The Book podcast, is riding the trends with his Best Bets recommendation for Tuesday’s NBA Playoffs battle between Boston and Miami. Both teams have been “Under machines” in the postseason, and Perrault believes that will continue in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The following trends indicate we’re headed for a low-scoring series opener:
- Boston was 5-2 to the Under in its most recent series against Milwaukee
- Miami is 9-2 to the Under in the playoffs so far
- Two of three Celtics-Heat clashes this season stayed low
- Miami’s games have cleared 204 totals just once in its last four games
- Boston’s games haven’t cleared 204 total points in the last two
But wait, there’s more: The Heat and Celtics rank first and second (respectively) in defensive efficiency this season. Both teams also rank in the bottom 10 for pace of play (Miami 27th, Boston 22nd). Those are two key ingredients when looking to bet an NBA game Under the total.
You can find the Heat-Celtics Under 204 at Caesars Sportsbook.
NBA Prop: F Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
The prop: Over 6.5 rebounds (at Miami)
The odds: +110
Where to bet: DraftKings Sportsbook
From: Matt LaMarca via NBA Props Tuesday
The Celtics were able to win Games 6 and 7 to secure a victory over the Bucks in a grueling series. Unfortunately, things won’t get any easier for them on Tuesday. They’ll have to travel to Miami for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against a Heat squad that is much fresher. The Celtics are still favorites to win the series, but they could struggle in Game 1.
Still, the over on Tatum’s rebound prop has some value. He didn’t exactly thrive on the glass in his last series, but he did average 8.5 rebounds over the final four games. That’s in line with his average of 8.0 rebounds per game during the regular season, so asking him to hit the Over on 6.5 against the Heat is reasonable. The fact that this prop is available at better than even money is also appealing.
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BetPrep Prop of the Day: G/F Tyler Herro (Miami Heat)
The bet: Over 2.5 assists (vs. Boston)
The odds: -124
Where to bet: FanDuel Sportsbook
From: BetPrep Prop of the Day via BetPrep.com
BetPrep’s two-day winning streak ended Monday, as Colorado pitcher Antonio Senzatela went Over 2.5 strikeouts despite only pitching two innings. Time to start a new streak, as Tuesday’s BetPrep Prop of the Day also comes from Celtics-Heat — and once again, this one involves a Miami player.
The official recommendation: Tyler Herro Over 2.5 assists.
Miami point guard Kyle Lowry has been ruled out for Tuesday’s Game 1. That’s good news for Herro’s assist numbers, as he has dished out three-plus dimes in 18 of his last 21 contests without Lowry in the lineup.
On top of that, Herro has recorded at least three assists in each of his last 14 home games.
You can find Herro Over 2.5 assists (-124) at FanDuel Sportsbook.
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