Odds, picks, betting tips for Celtics-Heat Game 3

ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data, featuring ESPN's proprietary Basketball Power Index (BPI) to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds for Sunday, May 21, are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

What you need to know for Sunday's games

The Eastern Conference finals shift to Miami on Sunday with the Heat already ahead two games to none. The Celtics find themselves in the proverbial "must win" game and will be looking to their players to produce more than expectation to try to get back in the series. But the Heat have been tough-minded all playoffs long and are returning home, where role players typically play better.

I look for the Heat role players to produce, and perhaps the Celtics' stars to do the same. Let's dig in and look for some betting angles.

-Andre' Snellings

Breaking down the slate

Records (Against the spread)
Celtics: 57-25 (45-36-1)
Heat: 44-38 (30-49-3)

Line: Celtics (-3.5) Total: 213.5
BPI projection: Celtics by 6.3
Money line: Celtics (-160), Heat (135)

Injury report:
Celtics: Danilo Gallinari (OUT - Knee)
Heat: Tyler Herro (OUT - Hand); Victor Oladipo (OUT - Knee)

Best bet: Kyle Lowry over 9.5 points. Lowry went scoreless in Game 2 but before that had been a strong contributor off the bench for the past few weeks since the Heat lost both Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo to injury. Before Game 2, he had averaged 11.9 PPG in his previous 10 outings, going over 9.5 points in seven of those 10 games. He makes a good bounce-back candidate in Game 3 in Miami, where he has gone over 9.5 points in three straight games and four of his past five. -Snellings

Best bet: Bam Adebayo over 18.5 points. Adebayo has faced the Celtics six times this season, four times in the regular season and twice in the playoffs. He is averaging 23.7 PPG in those six contests and has gone over 18.5 points in all six. -Snellings

Best Bet: Jayson Tatum over 40.5 total points + rebounds. Tatum will be called upon to have a big game Sunday with his team already in a 2-0 hole. He has scored 30 or more points in three straight games and has grabbed double-digit boards in five of his past seven. During his past six games, he has averaged a combined 44.0 points and rebounds per game, going over 40.5 in four of the six games. -Snellings