We will know who will play in the NBA Finals by the end of this week, but before that, there are Game 4's that need to be played. We have a complete betting breakdown of both the Western and Eastern Conference finals matchups right here. After researching both games, we've narrowed down our three best NBA playoff bets for May 23 and 24. They're all yours for free if you keep reading on!
Against The Spread: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
Few could’ve predicted the outcome of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference Finals — a 109-103 victory for the Heat despite Jimmy Butler missing the second half with an injury. Miami has regained home-court advantage in the series and is now up 2-1. Despite that, the best online sportsbooks have squarely pegged Boston as comfortable favorites on the betting spread:
Butler's health is the big variable in Monday’s Game 4. He’s officially listed as questionable but reported “sources” have him as likely to play. That would be on-brand for Butler, who is one of the toughest players in the whole league. Of course, the question then becomes how effective Butler will be? There’s not enough available information to truly know.
But here’s what we guesstimate with more accuracy: Boston can’t possibly shoot themselves in the foot more in Game 4 than they did in Game 3, right? In that matchup, the C’s turned the ball over 24 times, which became 33 points for the Heat. Miami outscored Boston 33-9 in points off turnovers. Worse, 22 of those 24 turnovers came from starters — an almost unfathomable number to imagine.
You almost have to assume the Celtics will clean up those miscues. Moreover, a rebound should be expected from Jayson Tatum. He continued his erratic playoff run with a complete clunker: 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting, four assists, six turnovers, and maybe a faked injury. Simply put, Boston can’t possibly win with its franchise player being this off.
In Game 4, we’re betting the Celtics to cover the spread at home. This team has likely outplayed the Heat in 10 out of 12 quarters played so far this series. However, in those two, they didn’t; Boston was bad. Really bad, actually. If this team can just avoid awful stretches like that, it can take care of Miami, which is our expectation Monday.
Over/Under 207.5 Points: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
We have our eyes on one more bet in this series, this time on the Celtics-Heat over/under or 207.5 points. We’ll be upfront and say we’re hammering the over at the top NBA betting sites.
Here’s the major reason why: Jaylen Brown. After three games in the series, it’s becoming abundantly clear: Miami has no answer for Brown. He just dropped 40 points on ‘em in Game 3 on 70-percent shooting too. In this series, Brown is averaging this gaudy stat line: 28 points on just under 55 percent shooting and nine rebounds. He's proved to be a true mismatch for the Heat, no matter which player they throw at him.
Brown, though, was Boston’s worst offender of turnovers last game with seven. We’re already on record saying the Celtics will correct that, which makes Brown even more deadly on the court. He’ll do his part in getting this game into over territory.
And so will the Heat’s never-ending supporting cast. It seems like a different player steps up each time this team needs it. The Game 3 savior was Bam Adebayo (31 points and 10 boards), and it’s anyone’s guess who it’ll be in Game 4. Still, “Miami culture” is legit, and someone will do the honors regardless of who. Take the over with confidence here.
Against The Spread: Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks
This series is over. Golden State is advancing in five games at the latest. However, that doesn’t mean Dallas isn’t a solid betting opportunity in Game 4. Facing elimination and on their home floor, we expect the Mavs to steal one game, which they have to in order to cover the one-point spread.
More than anything, we just think the Warriors will overlook their opponents and play slightly off since this series is a virtual wrap (no one's ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit). If we’re being realistic, the Mavs played as good as they’re going to in Game 3 — and still lost. Luka Doncic poured in 40 points, while Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie combined for 46. Getting more production out of the trio is a long shot, but some regression from the Dubs should be expected.
Andrew Wiggins might be where that regression comes from. The former No. 1 pick hit 11-of-20 shots for 27 points in Game 3. Consistency has never been Wiggins' strong suit so we’d expect some falloff there. That alone gives Dallas a chance to win a semi-meaningless Game 4.
How To Bet On 2022 NBA Conference Finals?
While we love the three 2022 NBA Conference Finals bets, we covered above, that's only a snippet of what's available to gamble on at top-used sports betting sites. More NBA bets exist, including a large array of props on each game. For a complete list of bets on the conference finals, check out one of the bookies featured underneath. These same sites have you covered during the NBA Finals, which begin on June 2.
