Both the Celtics and Lakers face do or die situations in Game 4 of their respective conference finals series over the next two days. Will either side put up a fight or will we move into the NBA Finals on the back of two sweeps?
Check out our preview and betting tips for both games below.
NBA Conference Finals Game 4 Betting Picks
Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers
Crypto.com Arena, Monday 8:30pm (ET)
The Nuggets have been firing on all cylinders to start the Western Conference Finals, winning the opening three games to take a commanding 3-0 lead into Game 4 in Los Angeles. The games have been relatively close, with the Nuggets winning by an average margin of just 7.3 points, but there is no doubt that they have looked dominant through stretches of the series so far.
Can LeBron James and the Lakers put up a fight at home in Game 4? No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series in the NBA, but LeBron James has come back from a 3-1 deficit on two occassions.
The Nuggets have been basically unbeatable at home throughout the playoffs so far, so regardless of the result here, I think this series won’t go past Game 5, but I like the value of the Lakers here with the 3 point headstart.
LeBron won’t just let his team rollover here and they had command of Game 3 at home until a poor fourth quarter saw them let it slip. The Lakers crowd should be out in force for what could potentially be the last time they see their team this season. I like the Lakers to be spurred on by that and cover the spread here.
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat
Kaseya Arena, Tuesday 8:30pm (ET)
While the Nuggets dominance in the West isn’t the biggest shock, the 8th seed Miami Heat holding a 3-0 lead over the 2nd seed Celtics is something that no one saw coming.
The Heat have been far too good for the Celtics in all three games so far, winning two on the road in Boston before a massive 26 point win in a really ugly game at home in G3. The Heat could become the first No.7 seed to ever make the NBA Finals with one more win, 2nd only to the 8 seeded New York Knicks, who ended up losing to the Spurs in 1999.
Jimmy Butler has been absolutely electric throughout the playoffs so far and particularly in the Eastern Conference Finals. The star guard averaged 31 points through the opening two games but was barely needed in Game 3, putting up 16 points in just 31 minutes in the blowout win.
The added rest that the Heat stars recieved in the win, particularly Bam Adebayo, who played just 26 minutes, will be invaluable heading into Game 4. The bookies have finally shifted opinion here and have the Heat as 1.5 point favourites at home, and I think they cover that line and put the Celtics out of their misery here. They are 5-1-0 against the spread at home this playoffs.
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