Five things to watch (with some betting tips) for Heat vs. Celtics

The Eastern Conference feels like a Hollywood studio that has run out of new movie ideas so it just keeps making sequels to the greatest hits.

Like the Miami Heat vs. the Boston Celtics.

For the third time in four years, the Celtics and Heat are meeting in the Eastern Conference Finals. They split the first two, with the Heat advancing to the Finals in the bubble, while the Celtics held on to reach the Finals last season (and led the Warriors 2-1 before things went sideways).

Here are four things worth watching in this series when it tips off Wednesday night, plus some betting advice from Vaughn Dalzell of NBC Sports Edge.

As great as “playoff” Jimmy Butler is, he is just one man and that’s a problem in trying to match up with Jayson Tatum (who is coming off a Game 7 record 51 points). Every choice Erik Spoelstra makes creates a problem elsewhere on the court (which is why he may lean into a zone defense for extended stretches).

Miami’s best defender is Butler and they can put him on Tatum. The problem there — outside of wearing down Butler and risking foul trouble — is it means Max Strus or maybe Caleb Martin on Jaylen Brown, and Brown will feast in that matchup.

Spoelstra could put Butler on Brown, but now Tatum is matched up with Gabe Vincent or Martin and he will put up numbers. And that’s not getting into how Al Horford‘s shooting threat pulls Bam Adebayo out of the paint and limits him as a help defender. Expect Martin — who has size and can defend — to get an increasingly prominent role as this series goes on.

Look for Boston to target Kevin Love in pick-and-rolls, no matter who he guards.

It’s also worth remembering the Heat struggled to stop the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson last round as he got 41 in the closeout game.