Eastern Conference Finals Begin

Good morning,

Let’s dive in…

Developing Stories 📰

The NBA Playoffs continue as the Miami Heat (44-38) visit the Boston Celtics (57-25) for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Action tips off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. To get to the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami took down New York in six while Boston eliminated Philadelphia in seven.

Miami continued their Cinderella run through the Eastern Conference thanks to their 4-2 series win over New York. The Heat have a rematch from last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. Although the Celtics downed the Heat in seven games last season, this Miami team possesses a different kind of magic to them. Still, they visit Boston as eight-point underdogs in Game 1 and ESPN Analytics gives them just a 3% chance to win the series. The Heat need Jimmy Butler to continue playing at an MVP level and get some help from their guards if they want to cover. In 10 postseason games Butler averaged 31.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 5.4 APG. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, or Kyle Lowry have had incredible numbers, they’ve each proved essential to Miami’s success. Lowry proved to be a major part of last year’s series with 18 and 15-point games to close out the series.

Boston battled back after falling behind 3-2 in Eastern Conference Semifinals against Philadelphia. They pulled out a huge road win in Game 6 before blowing the 76ers out of the door. Things don’t get any easier this round, however. Boston meets Miami in the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. Still, the Celtics stand as NBA championship favorites from both the betting market and analyst. That said, Boston needs their stars to show out and their shooters to dial in if they want to cover as huge favorites in Game 1. Jayson Tatum started slow in the first three quarters of Game 6 against the 76ers. However, he went for 16 points in that fourth quarter and then carried his hot stretch into Game 7. The 25-year-old superstar set the Game 7-point record with 51 in their clinching win over the 76ers. Tatum should be able to carry that success into this Game 1 after he averaged 25 PPG and recorded five 26-point games against Miami last year. Teams coming off a Game 7 the previous round are just 33-52 (36%) in Game 1 of the following series. Given Miami’s familiarity with Boston and the Celtics’ previous series, the Heat should keep things close in Game 1.

Headlines 🚨

On This Day in Sport History:

1875 1st ever Kentucky Derby: Oliver Lewis aboard Aristides wins in 2:37.75

1970 Hank Aaron becomes 9^th player to get 3,000 hits.

The Spurs got yet another lucky lottery bounce Tuesday night, winning the 2023 NBA draft lottery and the right to select French super-prospect Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Philadelphia 76ers dismissed coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday, the team announced.

Domingo German’s hand was coated with something tackier than rosin, umpire James Hoye said after ejecting the NY Yankees pitcher for violating Major League Baseball's rules on sticky substances.

Texas Rangers pitching prospect Kumar Rocker, a top-10 pick in each of the past two MLB drafts, has a torn ligament in his right elbow and will need Tommy John surgery.

Right-hander Aníbal Sanchez, an 11-game winner for the Washington Nationals when they won the 2019 World Series, is retiring after 16 years in the majors.

After taking Kansas State to its first Big 12 championship in a decade, coach Chris Klieman has agreed to a new eight-year contract through the 2030 season.

The Arizona Coyotes plan to build a new arena in Tempe as part of a $2.1 billion entertainment district was rejected by voters on Tuesday, and the team said its future "will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League" in the coming weeks.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Heat at Celtics

• The total has gone OVER in 8 of Miami's last 9 games on the road.

• The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 11 games.

• The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 10 games when playing at home against Miami.

• Miami is 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games.

• Boston is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games at home.

• Boston is 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games.

🏀 Lakers at Nuggets

• LA Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games.

• LA Lakers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Denver.

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Lakers' last 7 games.

• The total has gone OVER in 10 of LA Lakers' last 12 games on the road.

• Denver is 10-3 SU in their last 13 games.

• The total has gone OVER in 13 of Denver's last 19 games against LA Lakers.

• Denver is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers.

🏒 Panthers at Hurricanes

• Florida is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games

• Carolina is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home

• Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

⚾️ Pirates at Tigers

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games

• Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh

⚾️ Twins at Dodgers

• Minnesota is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games on the road

• LA Dodgers is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing Minnesota

• LA Dodgers is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home

⚾️ Athletics at Diamondbacks

• Oakland is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Arizona

• Oakland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Arizona

⚾️ Phillies at Giants

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games on the road

• San Francisco is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

• San Francisco is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

⚾️ Angles at Orioles

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Angels's last 7 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games

• Baltimore is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against LA Angels

• Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing LA Angels 

⚾️ Mariners at Red Sox

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston

• The total has gone OVER in 20 of Seattle's last 23 games when playing Boston

⚾️ Braves at Rangers

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing on the road against Texas

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Texas

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games at home

⚾️ Cubs at Astros

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games

• Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

⚾️ MLB

38% of bets and 76% of money is on OVER 11.5 CIN at COL

45% of bets and 84% of money is on COL -105

55% of bets and 75% of money is on UNDER 8.5 MIN at LAD

38% of bets and 71% of money is on UNDER 9 TB at NYM

43% of bets and 75% of money is on STL +1.5 (-175)

56% of bets and 85% of money is on UNDER 9 CLE at CWS

48% of bets and 67% of money is on HOU -1.5 (+120)

47% of bets and 67% of money is on UNDER 8.5 CHC at HOU

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Injury Report 🏥 via ESPN

BOS (F) Danilo Gallinari | Out - Knee

MIA (C) Cody Zeller | Questionable - Illness

MIA (PG) Tyler Herro | Out - Hand

Picks 🔒

Miami Heat +8 | Boston has played loose at home in the playoffs, and coming off that historic game 7 win, I see them having a letdown here. Miami will be rested and ready to go, looking to steal one here. In the four meetings between the two this year, three were decided by less than the spread for this game. This spread seems too big, so take the Heat here getting the points.

Nationals +105 | Josiah Gray has been the Nationals best pitcher this season. He has a 2.96 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Gray has allowed two earned runs or less in six of his last seven starts. Gray has gone at least five innings in all eight of his starts this season as well. With the Marlins hitting worse against right-handed pitching, Gray has an opportunity to go deep into this game and give the Nationals a chance to win.