Celtics vs Heat: Injury Updates, Team News, Match Preview & Predictions

Game: Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat

Date & Time: Wednesday December 4, 2019, 7:30 PM (EST)

Venue: TD Garden, Boston.

Preview-

With three wins in the last three games and four in the last five, Miami Heat have improved their record to 15-5 and jumped to second in the Eastern Conference. Their win in Toronto on Tuesday took them past the Raptors in the Eastern Conference. Their impressive victory was led by Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson, each of whom scored 22 points. Butler ended with triple double figures contributing with 12 assists and 13 rebounds apart from the 22 points. The Heat would want to keep their momentum going, but it won’t be the easiest against a Celtics side who, like Heat, possess a record of 15-5 in the season.

Celtics’ last five games included a loss against Brooklyn and Denver, before registering a victory in their previous game against the Knicks. The game ended with a score of 113-104, where Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 30 and 28 points respectively for the Celtics.

Injury updates & team news-

Boston Celtics-

Injuries: Gordon Hayward (Hand)- Out, Marcus Smart – Doubtful, Tacko Fall (Right knee)- Out)

Expected starting line up: Kemba Walker, Brad Wanamaker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Daniel Theis

Miami Heat-

Injuries: Goran Drajic (Groin)- Out, KZ Okpala (Achillies)- Out

Expected starting line up: Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nun, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Meyers Leonard

Predictions-

Both Celtics and Heat have been good defensively this season with less that 105 points conceded per game. Last game’s leading scorer for the Heat Goran Drajic won’t be available on Wednesday. Jimmy Butler has been a consistent scorer for Miami and is expected to do well against Celtics.

As for the Celtics, Marcus Smart may be out of the game, but the likes of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are capable of scoring. The Celtics have won their last four games against Eastern Conference opponents, and a prediction would go in the direction of extension of the streak.