2023 NBA Eastern Conference finals odds, Game 2 start time: Heat vs. Celtics picks, predictions by top expert

Matt Severance locked in his picks and best bets for Game 2 of Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals of the 2023 NBA playoffs

The Boston Celtics blew a 13-point lead in a series-opening loss to the Miami Heat in last year's Eastern Conference finals, and they did the exact same thing in this year's Game 1 on Wednesday. Boston will try to level the 2023 Eastern Conference finals when it hosts Miami in Game 2 on Friday night. The Heat shot 65.4% from the floor in the third quarter of the opener, allowing them to erase the double-digit deficit. Boston bounced back from the series-opening loss last year with a blowout win in Game 2, and it will try to do the same thing again this year.

Tipoff from TD Garden in Boston is at 8:30 p.m. ET. Boston is a 9.5-point favorite in the latest Heat vs. Celtics odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 215.5. Before making any Celtics vs. Heat picks, make sure you check out what proven SportsLine NBA expert Matthew Severance has to say.

Severance is a well-connected writer and handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. After joining SportsLine, Severance quickly established himself as a top expert in multiple sports. Over his past 155 NBA picks, he is 101-53-1 against the spread, returning $3,371 for $100 players. 

Now, Severance has set its sights on Heat vs. Celtics and just locked in his picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Celtics vs. Heat:

• Heat vs. Celtics: Celtics -9.5
• Heat vs. Celtics over/under: 215.5 points  
• Heat vs. Celtics money line: Celtics -480, Heat +360
• MIA: Heat are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS win 
• BOS: Celtics are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following an ATS loss 
• Heat vs. Celtics picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Heat can cover

Miami has been the most undervalued team in the postseason, covering the spread in eight of its last 10 games. The Heat have also won eight of those 10 games outright, and they are nearly double-digit underdogs on Friday. Boston has failed to cover the spread 13 times in its last 19 Friday home games.

Heat forward Jimmy Butler finished with 35 points, seven assists, six steals and five rebounds on Wednesday, while Celtics star Jayson Tatum was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. Butler has reached the 30-point mark five times this postseason, averaging 31.5 points in 11 games. He continues to lead Miami to upset victories, and the Heat only need to stay within three possessions to cover the spread on Friday. See which team to pick here.

Why the Celtics can cover

Guard Jaylen Brown thrives as a downhill scoring threat as he's at his best when attacking downhill and absorbing contact in the lane. The California product also has a smooth jump shot to keep defenders guessing. Brown averages 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in the 2023 NBA playoffs. In Game 1, he finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.

Boston has two solid big men in the frontcourt. Center Al Horford has a solid jumper from beyond the arc and does a sound job rebounding as he's logged double-digit boards in two of the last three games. Meanwhile, center Robert Williams III excels hovering around the rim for alley-oops and high-percentage shots. The Texas A&M product plays incredible defense and has great instincts. In Game 1, he had 14 points, seven boards, and went a perfect 6-of-6 from the field. See which team to pick here.

How to make Heat vs. Celtics picks

Severance is leaning Over on the point total, and he has identified a critical X-factor he says makes one side of the spread a must-back. You can find out what it is, and see which side of the Heat vs. Celtics spread to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Heat vs. Celtics, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Heat vs. Celtics spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the expert who has returned over $3,371 to $100 players over his last 155 NBA picks, and find out.

2023 NBA Mock Draft: Brandon Miller gets nod over Scoot Henderson after Hornets land No. 2 pick in lottery

Victor Wembanyama goes No. 1 to Spurs, but then it gets interesting in Gary Parrish's first mock draft after the lottery

San Antonio is picking first again.

The franchise that once selected David Robinson No. 1 overall, and then Tim Duncan No. 1 overall, before going on to use one or both of those eventual Naismith Memorial Hall of Famers to claim five NBA championships, won the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night in Chicago for the third time in franchise history. That means San Antonio will select first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22 in New York.

Victor Wembanyama will be the pick.

The French sensation, the 7-foot-4 super-freak who has been described as the greatest teenage basketball prospect in history, learned his fate while surrounded by his family in Paris at around 2:30 a.m. local time. He seemed pleased, as he should be, because Wembanyama is now going to join one of the league's greatest and most-admired franchises and be coached by a legend in Gregg Popovich.

It's a fun pairing.

It's (arguably) the greatest NBA coach in history (presumably) winding down his career by molding somebody who could (theoretically) become the greatest NBA player in history. It's terrific for Pop, even better for Wemby, and a process that'll be a joy for all of the rest of us to watch unfold. Will it turn San Antonio into a contender for anything notable immediately? Probably not. Even LeBron James only won 35 games as a rookie. But, in a matter of, let's say, three years, Wembanyama should be ready to have San Antonio competing at or near the top of the Western Conference, provided the Spurs get enough good pieces around him, which history suggests they'll do and do well.