Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat: Match Preview and Predictions - 28th January 2020
Match details
Fixture: Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat
Date & Time: Tuesday, 28 January 2020, 8 PM ET
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Last game result
Boston Celtics (30-15): 108-123 loss to New Orleans Pelicans (26 Jan, Sunday)
Miami Heat (32-14): 113-92 win against Orlando Magic (27 Jan, Monday)
Boston Celtics preview
The Boston Celtics are one of the favorites to come out of the East. They have good young core combined with experienced campaigners like Kemba Walker, etc. The Celtics have won three of their last five but are barely above .500 away from home. They are always a threat from beyond the arc with four of their starters averaging 36% or more accuracy from beyond the arc. This would be interesting to watch against the elite Miami defense.
Key player - Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker is running the show right now in Boston. Being brought in as the replacement to Kyrie Irving, Kemba has hit the ground running with elite performances. His leadership has done absolute wonders to the young squad.
He continues to play at an all-star level as he looks to lead the Celtics to a championship. He is averaging 22 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds per game this season and is a constant threat from downtown, making 39.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Boston Celtics predicted lineup:
Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Semi Ojeyele, Daniel Theis
Miami Heat preview
To say Miami Heat have overachieved this season would be a massive understatement. Jimmy Butler and co. have been absolutely brilliant this term and halfway through their current campaign, they sit only behind the Milwaukee Bucks.
The strength of this team is the balance in offense and defense. They have one of the most well-rounded backcourts in the game with Butler and rookie Kendrick Nunn. Bam Adebayo supports the team well with his terrific on-the-ball defense and also chips in on the offensive end of the floor regularly. They lost a tough game against the LA Clippers but came right back with an easy win over the Orlando Magic yesterday.
Key player - Jimmy Butler
The signing of Jimmy Butler during the offseason turned a lot of heads. He finally had his own team and so far it seems like the right decision taken by Pat Riley. He leads the franchise in points, assists, and steals averaging 20.3, 6.5, and 1.8 of the same per game respectively. Butler's mentality and ability are helping mold the youngsters in the team. All looks good so far for the Miami Heat.
Heat predicted lineup:
Goran Dragic, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, Meyers Leonard, Bam Adebayo
Celtics vs Heat match predictions
The Heat are in a very good place right now. They have won three of their last four games and have the second-best home record in the NBA. Celtics still seem to be learning how to play with each other and that might cost them this one.
Where to watch Celtics vs Heat
The game will be broadcasted nationwide on TNT. You can also live stream this contest via the NBA League Pass.