Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Prediction & Match Preview - September 27th, 2020 | Game 6
Match Details
Fixture: Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat
Date & Time: Sunday, September 27th, 7:30 PM ET (Monday, 5 AM IST)
Venue: AdventHealth Arena, Orlando, FL
The Miami Heat looked poised to progress to the NBA Finals on Friday night itself. They were the better side in the first half and enjoyed a healthy lead going into the break. Post resumption, the Boston Celtics turned on the afterburners and forced a huge third-quarter turnaround to win the tie.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics played their best basketball of this series in the third quarter of Game 5. They were aggressive on both ends of the court, knocked down their shots, and most importantly, took care of the ball. It was a proper team effort from Brad Stevens' men as six players scored in double digits.
The Boston Celtics' big men came to the party on Friday and gave the team a decent scoring punch inside the paint as they struggled from downtown. Meanwhile, Marcus Smart has slowly transitioned into the team's best playmaker, as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to torment the Miami Heat.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum has now recorded two consecutive games with 20 or more points in the second half for the Boston Celtics. His ability to go on these bursts is crucial for digging his side out of holes against the Miami Heat. He's also the best player in transition on both teams and an all-round threat on both ends of the floor.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Daniel Theis
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat were far from their usual best in Game 5 against Boston Celtics. They gave up good looks inside the paint, committed unnecessary fouls, and went 19.5% from downtown. The latter is not good enough for the team that finished the regular season as second-best in the NBA at three-point shooting.
The Miami Heat need to bounce back from a tough outing but still have enough gas in the tank. Goran Dragic is mixing things up on offense and managing 22 points per game. Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro continue to give a good account of themselves. Jae Crowder suffered in Game 5 but that's likely a one-off.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler may be happy seeing his teammates perform, but it might be time for him to take over proceedings on the offensive end. He's only the fourth-highest scorer on the Miami Heat in this series but needs to present himself as the go-to guy when his side is struggling. Besides this, Butler's doing a good job in thwarting the Boston Celtics defensively and is uber reliable when it comes to closing games.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
Goran Dragic, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, Bam Adebayo
Celtics vs Heat Prediction
When at their best, the Boston Celtics edge out the Miami Heat marginally. The Cs will be high on confidence following their latest victory and that generally translates into good performances. Most importantly, their perimeter defense has improved every game and the Miami Heat tend to struggle with the three-point shot not falling for them. Expect the Boston Celtics to win Game 6 to tie the series at 3-3.
Where to watch Celtics vs Heat?
National coverage of the game will be available on ESPN. Fans in India can tune in to Sony Six. You can also live stream the same via NBA League Pass.
Also read: NBA News Update - Jayson Tatum not sleeping much, Bam Adebayo takes blame for Miami Heat's loss against Boston Celtics