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After the two teams alternated victories through the first four games of the series, Game 5 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics is set for Wednesday night. This series has been an unpredictable one thus far, as both teams have switched between excellent and poor play, and both teams have had to deal with players being in and out of the lineup due to injury issues. After blowing the Heat out in Game 4, the Celtics will look to build off of that momentum, while Miami will look to bounce back and protect their home court.
Game 5 will be a big one, as teams that win the fifth game in a series that is tied at 2-2 go on to win the series a majority of the time. With that said, here’s everything you need to know about the fifth game between Miami and Boston.
(1) Miami Heat @ (2) Boston Celtics
When: Wednesday, May 25 | 8:30 p.m. ETWhere: FTX Arena — Miami, Florida TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)Odds: MIA +105; BOS -125; O/U 203.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics
Storylines
Heat: The Heat have to get more from Jimmy Butler. After scoring 70 combined points in the first two games of the series, he has scored just 14 total points and made six total shots in the two games since. Butler exited Game 3 with knee inflammation, but he played in Game 4, and he refused to use the issue as an excuse after the game. Instead, he acknowledged that he needed to be better, which he does. If he’s out on the floor, the knee can’t be an excuse, and a whole lot of players are banged up at this point in the season. Moving forward, the Heat need Butler to be more aggressive, on both ends of the floor, than he was in Games 3 and 4.
Celtics: Marcus Smart’s health is something to keep an eye on for Boston in Game 5. Smart left Game 3 after tweaking his ankle, but he returned to finish out the game. He was held out of Game 4 due to the ankle, however, and his status for Game 5 is yet to be determined. Even though the Celtics were able to pull out a win without him in Game 4, they would obviously prefer to have him available. He is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, after all.
Prediction
The Celtics look like they might have figured some things out in Game 4. Plus, it’s tough to count on the Heat with the inconsistent performances that they’ve gotten so far this series from their key contributors like Butler and Adebayo. Pick: Celtics -1.5
