NBA picks: Heat vs. Celtics prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Friday, Oct. 27

Opening week of the 2023-24 NBA season rolls on and the first Friday night slate will feature a rematch of the last two Eastern Conference Finals as the Miami Heat will visit the Boston Celtics. The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.

Miami (1-0) was victorious in its opener on Wednesday, edging Detroit in a 103-102 win. The Heat went cold in the final three minutes, but they were able to lock in defensively and hold off a late comeback by the Pistons. Meanwhile, Boston (1-0) was also a winner in its opener on Wednesday as it edged New York 108-104. Kristaps Porzingis was excellent in his Celtics debut, tallying 30 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks against his former team in the Knicks.

Duncan Robinson (foot), Caleb Martin (knee), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin) are all listed as probable on the Heat’s injury report and should be able to play this evening.

Boston enters the game as an 8.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 217. The Celtics are a -345 moneyline favorite, making the Heat a +275 underdog.

Heat vs. Celtics, 7:30 p.m. ET

Pick ATS: Heat +8.5

Both of these Eastern Conference rivals are quite familiar with each other and they should pick right back up from where they left off from last year’s series. I’d anticipate this being a tight contest deep into the fourth quarter and an 8.5-point spread is kind of high for a Celtics team that is figuring things out with new pieces in their lineup. I’ll take the Heat to cover as a road underdog.

Over/Under: Under 217

As these teams scrap it out until the final buzzer, I’d imagine defense will play a large factor as they both try to get into a consistent groove on offense. Hammer the under for this contest.