NBA 5*
(NBA) Boston vs. Miami, 05/19/2022 8:30 PM, Score: 127 - 102
Total: 207.00 | -106.00 Under
Result: Loss
Celtics @ Heat 8:45 PM ET
Game# 543-544
Play On: Under 207.0 (5*)

Miami has allowed its last 9 opponents to a mere 77.6 field goal attempts per game. During that stretch, Miami held 6 of those 9 opponents to less than 100 points scored. The Heat have also scored less than 100 in 3 of its last 8 games. Game 1 of this series against Boston went over the total of 203.5 with the Heat prevailing 118-107. Miami has gone under in 4 straight immediately following an over in their previous game and there was a combined average of 203.7 points scored per contest.

The teams combined to go 54-66 (81.8%) from the free throw line in Game 1. The 81.8% is very good but not shocking. However, the combined 66 free throw attempts was out of character for both teams. During 3 regular season meetings these teams averaged just a combined 41.3 free throw attempts per contest.

Since the 2011 NBA Playoffs, any away underdog of 4.5 or less that’s playing in a Game 2 and is coming off an away underdog ATS loss in which they failed to cover by 20.0-points or less, resulted in those games playing 8-1 to the under. The average total in those contests was 201.3 and there was a combined 193.4 points scored per game. Give me this game to go under the total.