Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Prediction and Match Preview

Fixture - Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics

Date & Time - August 4th, 7 PM ET (August 5th, 4:30 AM IST)

Where - HP Fieldhouse (ESPN WWOS), Orlando, Florida

The contest between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics, currently placed 4th and 3rd in the Eastern Conference respectively, will be a fascinating one. The Boston Celtics have won both of their faceoffs this season thus far - one as a blowout and one by 8 points in late January.

Both the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics have thus far won one and last one game each since the NBA restarted on 30th July. This game will be a reality check for the title expectations of both teams.

Miami Heat Preview

The Miami Heat have only got themselves to blame for their 3-point loss to the Toronto Raptors yesterday. They turned the ball over twice in the last 22.6 seconds of the game, both times through All Star Jimmy Butler.

So close. pic.twitter.com/N90kceg1Jm
— x - Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) August 3, 2020

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The Miami Heat are a well-rounded team with perimeter shooting threats in Kelly Olynyk, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic to complement Butler and Adebayo. They will figure out a way to bounce back from their iffy outing against the Raptors.

ALSO READ: Boston Celtics 128-124 Portland Trail Blazers: Twitter explodes as Jaylen Brown comes alive in the 4th quarter | NBA 2019-20

Miami Heat - Key Player

Jimmy Butler will be kicking himself for his miserable play against the Toronto Raptors. The 9th-year veteran scored only 2 points in the second half of the game, with none of them coming in 6 minutes of 4th quarter action time. But when Butler feels it from the post and earning trips to the foul line, the Heat are at their best.

Boston Celtics Preview

The Boston Celtics did well to come back from their loss in a game they arguably deserved to win against the Milwaukee Bucks. They held their collective nerve against the Trail Blazers when they needed to, and Jaylen Brown made some really big plays in the 4th quarter to answer Lillard's hot shooting.

The Tatum/Brown duo couldn't be stopped today:Tatum: 34 PTS | 8 AST | 5-8 3 PTBrown: 30 PTS | 6 REB | 6-8 3 PTCeltics beat Blazers 128-124 pic.twitter.com/Th5RZOGNXL
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 2, 2020

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They could do with more of the same from Hayward and Kemba Walker, who were both crucial in their win as well.

Boston Celtics - Key Player

Jayson Tatum's subpar outing against the Bucks was duly forgotten as the 3rd year All Star poured in a game-high 34 points in their W against the Blazers. Tatum found his range, going 5-of-9 from 3-point territory, and got to the cup a bunch of times through the game. He will be looking to be in the same aggressive mode against the Heat.

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics - Match Prediction

The Miami Heat are the deeper roster heading into this game. They have size in Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard, and a perfect two-way presence in Bam Adebayo. They have great perimeter defenders in Iguodala, Crowder and Butler, and they have some elite shooting in the form of Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.

What they don't boast, however, is the presence of 3 20-points-per-game scorers like the Boston Celtics do. Kemba Walker looked to be in improved form in his second game, and there is a chance that he plays almost his full quota of minutes. Expect this to be a 3rd Boston Celtics win of the season.