Heat vs. Celtics Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Monday, Dec. 2

Can the Celtics cover the spread as double-digit favorites on Monday?

Can the Celtics cover the spread as double-digit favorites on Monday? / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Both the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are playing the second night of a back-to-back on Monday night. 

These two teams have been the class of the Eastern Conference in recent seasons, as either Miami or Boston made the NBA Finals in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. That’s pretty wild.

Last season, these teams matched up in the first round of the playoffs, but Boston discarded the Heat in just five games. Miami was without Jimmy Butler in that series, and it’s looking to get back in the mix for a top seed in the East this season.

Miami lost to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night while Boston dropped its game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a battle of the two best teams in the East so far this season.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for the Heat-Celtics game on Monday. 

Heat vs. Celtics Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Heat +10 (-105)
• Celtics -10 (-115)

Moneyline

• Heat: +380
• Celtics: -500

Total

• 220 (Over -112/Under -108)

Heat vs. Celtics How to Watch

• Date: Monday, Dec. 2
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: TD Garden
• How to Watch (TV): Bally Sports Sun, NBC Sports Boston
• Heat record: 9-9
• Celtics record: 16-4

Heat vs. Celtics Injury Reports

Heat Injury Report

• Not submitted yet

Celtics Injury Report

• Not submitted yet

Heat vs. Celtics Best NBA Prop Bets

Miami Heat Best NBA Prop Bet

• Jimmy Butler OVER 17.5 Points (-115)

If Butler suits up, I think he’s a solid bet to score 18 or more points on Monday. While the Heat star was held to just 17 points in the loss to Toronto, he only attempted nine shots in that game (shooting 6-for-9).

Since returning from an ankle injury, he has scored 30, 33, 23, and 26 points in four of his last six games – I’m excluding his game where he left early with a back injury and attempted just two shots. 

The Heat need Butler to step up as a scorer to win tonight. 

Boston Celtics Best NBA Prop Bet

• Jayson Tatum OVER 3.5 3-Pointers Made (-154)

Jayson Tatum is shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc this season, and he has a favorable matchup against a Miami team that ranks 20th in opponent 3-pointers made per game and 15th in opponent 3-point percentage. 

Tatum has four or more made 3-pointers in 13 of his 20 games this season, averaging 4.0 makes on 10.5 attempts per night. With Boston likely shorthanded in some capacity tonight, I expect Tatum to hold a bigger role on offense. 

Heat vs. Celtics Prediction and Pick

There’s a lot up in the air in this matchup with both teams playing the second night of a back-to-back.

Boston will likely sit Al Horford – who played yesterday and hasn’t played back-to-backs in years – and it could sit Kristaps Porzingis as well, who is returning from offseason surgery and also played on Sunday.

It’ll be interesting to see if Jimmy Butler suits up for the Heat, as he has dealt with ankle and back injuries in the 2024-25 season. 

With all of that in mind, I’m backing Boston at home the day after its seven-game winning streak was snapped.

The C’s still have a strong bench – led by Sixth Man of the Year candidate Payton Pritchard – and they should get Jaylen Brown and potentially Derrick White back in action after they missed Sunday’s loss. 

The Heat are just 8-10 against the spread this season, and they rank 12th in net rating, eight points worse than Boston (No. 2 in net rating). 

As long as Jayson Tatum and Brown play, I lean with the C’s to cover at home. 

Pick: Celtics -10 (-115)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.