Heat vs. Celtics First Basket Scorer & Player Prop Bets for Game 2: Brown Looks to Set the Tone

The Miami Heat look to defy the odds again and take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night. We’ve put together a few player props, including first-basket scorers, for bettors to consider ahead of Heat vs. Celtics Game 2.

East Finals Betting: Celtics vs. Heat Game 2 predictions, odds | Celtics vs. Heat Same-Game Parlays

Celtics vs. Heat: First Basket Scorer + More Player Props

Robert Williams III dominates the opening tip when he starts the game for the Celtics. That bodes well for the Celtics’ high-powered offense to strike first. Here are first-basket scorer odds from top sports betting apps. 

Williams’ opening tip win percentage is 91%. He won the opening tip in Game 1, but it was the Heat who struck first. However, now that the Celtics have an idea of how they can expect to be played, their first play of the game may be more effective if they win the opening tip again, which the odds imply they will. 

Down one game at home in essentially a must-win Game 2, Boston will be aggressive from the start of the game. Jaylen Brown has the most favorable matchup to start the game and attempts 36% of the team’s first field-goal attempts. He also scores the team’s first basket 33% of the time, including in Game 1.

Brown has set the tone for the Celtics in every big game so far in the postseason and there is a good chance that trend will continue, as Boston finds its back against the wall yet again. Look for Brown to come out blazing and cash as the favorite in this wager.

Best Player Prop Bets for Celtics vs. Heat Game 2 on Friday

Jimmy Butler, or “Playoff Jimmy”,  is continuing his reign of terror in the postseason, and his latest victim is the Boston Celtics. His play-making ability has been just as impressive and critical as his scoring ability when it comes to impacting the game. If the Celtics want to avoid another upset at home, they’ll have to find a way to contain Butler. 

Additionally, they’ll have to find ways to get Jayson Tatum easier shots. He scored 30 points in Game 1, but 11 of those came from the free throw line, and he couldn’t buy a basket late in the game. 

Bam Adebayo to Score Over 20 Points (+115 on DraftKings)

The Heat went to Bam Adebayo early and often on offense, and he had his way with the Celtics. He finished the game with 20 points on 9-for-13 from the field. In three of the Heat’s last four games, Adebayo scored 20 or more points. In the one contest he didn’t compile 20 during that stretch, he shot the ball only 11 times and still scored 18 points. He is a focal point of the Heat’s offense at the moment, and given his matchups with Williams III and Al Horford, the Celtics don’t have much to throw his way to slow him down. 

Given Butler’s Game 1 performance, it’s likely Adebayo will continue to see the same high-quality looks at the basket, as the Celtics divert even more attention to Butler, who scored 35 points on Wednesday. 

Caleb Martin to Score Over 9 points (+104 on FanDuel)

Caleb Martin played stellar defense on Tatum on Wednesday, especially late in the game to help secure the victory. Thanks to his defense, he saw an influx in minutes, topping the 30-minute mark for just the fourth time in 12 games this postseason. His success defending Boston’s young star should grant him around the same number of minutes in tonight’s game. 

Martin usually tops the 10-point mark when he logs those types of minutes. After going 3-for-7 from three-point range in Game 1, look for his scoring to stay elevated thanks to the attention Butler and Adebayo are drawing on defense. 

Malcolm Brogdon to Score Over 20 Points (+255 on DraftKings)

Malcolm Brogdon logged the most minutes he has played all postseason long in Game 1 vs. Miami. Boston condensed its lineup even more from the last round, which has led to more minutes for Brogdon. He finished the first game with 19 points on 7-for-14 from the field. He is averaging 15 points on 45% from the field in 28 minutes of play per night.

He should see about five extra minutes a game in this round due to Boston’s condensed roster. That should be enough time for him to secure an extra five points on top of his average and cash this ticket for bettors. 

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