What channel is Celtics vs. Heat on today? Game 5 TV schedule, live streams, start time for 2022 NBA Playoff game

Celtics vs. Heat: Game 5 prediction, pick, TV channel, live stream, how to watch NBA playoffs online

How to Watch Celtics Vs. Heat Game 5: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time

🔴LIVE🔴📺🥊👉 Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Live Stream

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After the two teams alternated victories through the first four games of the series, Game 5 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics is set for Wednesday night. This series has been an unpredictable one thus far, as both teams have switched between excellent and poor play, and both teams have had to deal with players being in and out of the lineup due to injury issues. After blowing the Heat out in Game 4, the Celtics will look to build off of that momentum, while Miami will look to bounce back and protect their home court.

The Eastern Conference finals return to Miami on Wednesday with the Celtics and Heat tied at two games apiece. Boston dominated Miami in Game 4, 102-82, to even the series. The Athletic has you covered with everything you need to know for Game 5.

Game 5 will be a big one, as teams that win the fifth game in a series that is tied at 2-2 go on to win the series a majority of the time. With that said, here's everything you need to know about the fifth game between Miami and Boston.

The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat are tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the series has been anything but even -- and who wins Game 5 in Miami is anyone's guess.

A best-of-three series to decide who goes to the NBA Finals – that's what the Eastern Conference Finals has become.

The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will meet for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night. Boston dominated Game 4 in a 102-82 decision that leveled the series at 2-2. Both teams are dealing with injuries, as Boston's Marcus Smart (ankle) and Miami's Tyler Herro (groin) are both questionable to play.

Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET in Miami. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Celtics as 2.5-point road favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 204 in the latest Celtics vs. Heat odds. Before you make any Heat vs. Celtics picks and NBA predictions, you need to see what SportsLine expert Zack Cimini has to say.

A Las Vegas handicapper who's never afraid to buck conventional wisdom, Cimini excels in multiple sports. Over the past 33 NBA selections, Cimini is 22-11, returning almost $1,000 to $100 players. He is also on an amazing 35-16-1 run with his last 52 against-the-spread picks involving the Celtics, returning $1,648 to $100 players during that span. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Cimini has set his sights on Celtics vs. Heat, and just locked in his picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Heat vs. Celtics:

The Celtics and Heat are tied at two games apiece as the series shifts back to Miami for a pivotal Game 5 at FTX Arena. By now, I'm sure you're aware of the stat that the team that wins Game 5 in a best-of-seven series tied at 2-2 goes on to win the series 82 percent of the time.

Those are the odds these teams are facing in this massive contest, but it is worth noting that just last round, the Celtics dropped Game 5 in a 2-2 series to the Bucks and then went on to win Games 6 and 7 to advance to the Conference Finals.

Both teams have been plagued with injuries so far and the health of key rotation players could be a deciding factor in who takes Game 5.

MORE: Tatum's aggressive offense breathes life back into Celtics

In Game 4, the Heat were missing Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro due to a groin strain, while the Celtics were missing Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart due to an ankle sprain.

According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, Herro said the plan is to bounce back and be available for Game 5. Meanwhile, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka told reporters before Game 4 that Smart was still dealing with significant swelling.

With the status of Herro and Smart unknown, the focus will be on the superstars of each team to step up in what feels like a must-win game for both sides. Will Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo respond after quiet showings in Game 4? Or will Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown prove the Celtics have too much firepower for Miami?

We've seen exactly zero lead changes in the last two games, as the Heat earned a wire-to-wire victory in Game 3 at TD Garden before the Celtics responded with a 20-point rout in Game 4 on Monday night. Boston held Miami's starters to 18 points total in that Game 4, while Jayson Tatum bounced back with a game-high 31 points.

Health is a major issue for both sides entering Wednesday's Game 5 at FTX Arena. Big man Robert Williams is questionable with left knee soreness after playing just 18 minutes in Game 4, and Marcus Smart is also questionable after missing Game 4 due to an ankle sprain.

Miami is similarly banged-up, as Tyler Herro sat out Game 4 due to a groin injury while star players Jimmy Butler (knee) and Kyle Lowry (hamstring) have been hampered by their own ailments.

Whoever can pull out a win Wednesday night will have a big advantage, though: NBA teams that win Game 5 to break a 2-2 playoff series tie go on to win the series 81.1 percent of the time (180-41).

Here's everything you need to know to watch Tuesday's Celtics vs. Heat Game 5, featuring NBC Sports Boston's full coverage, including "Celtics Pregame Live" and "Celtics Postgame Live."

(1) Miami Heat @ (2) Boston Celtics

When: Wednesday, May 25 | 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: FTX Arena -- Miami, Florida

TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)

Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals will air on ESPN. Viewers can also stream Game 5 on Watch ESPN and Sling TV.

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Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 25. The game will be played at the FTX Arena in Miami, FL.

Why the Celtics can cover

Boston put together one of the most dominant performances of any team this postseason on Monday, using an 18-1 start to take complete control of the game. The Celtics were able to dominate even without Smart, who could return to the lineup on Wednesday. Jayson Tatum bounced back from a rough performance in Game 3 with 31 points in Game 4.

Tatum and running mate Jaylen Brown combined for just four turnovers, making Boston very difficult to contend with. The Celtics are the better defensive team and have less injury concerns than Miami, making them the rightful favorites on Wednesday. In addition, the Celtics have covered the spread in 10 of their last 11 road games.

Why the Heat can cover

Miami's offense sputtered considerably in Game 4, but the Heat have a strong baseline on that end of the floor. The Heat are grabbing 30.4 percent of missed shots on the offensive glass in the playoffs, and Miami led the NBA in 3-point accuracy (37.9 percent) during the regular season. The Heat also ranked solidly in the top 10 of the league in 3-pointers per game, free throw accuracy, assists per game, and assist percentage.

Additionally, Miami is elite on defense, ranking in the top four of the NBA in several major statistical categories during the 82-game regular season. The Heat are also yielding less than 1.08 points per possession in the playoffs, and Miami is averaging a robust 19.0 points per game off turnovers. Miami is forcing a Boston turnover on 16.1 percent of defensive possessions during the series, averaging 9.3 steals per game in the process.

How to make Heat vs. Celtics picks

For Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, Cimini is leaning over on the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing what it is, and which side of the Heat vs. Celtics spread to back, at SportsLine.

Storylines

Heat: The Heat have to get more from Jimmy Butler. After scoring 70 combined points in the first two games of the series, he has scored just 14 total points and made six total shots in the two games since. Butler exited Game 3 with knee inflammation, but he played in Game 4, and he refused to use the issue as an excuse after the game. Instead, he acknowledged that he needed to be better, which he does. If he's out on the floor, the knee can't be an excuse, and a whole lot of players are banged up at this point in the season. Moving forward, the Heat need Butler to be more aggressive, on both ends of the floor, than he was in Games 3 and 4.

Celtics: Marcus Smart's health is something to keep an eye on for Boston in Game 5. Smart left Game 3 after tweaking his ankle, but he returned to finish out the game. He was held out of Game 4 due to the ankle, however, and his status for Game 5 is yet to be determined. Even though the Celtics were able to pull out a win without him in Game 4, they would obviously prefer to have him available. He is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, after all.

Prediction

The Celtics look like they might have figured some things out in Game 4. Plus, it's tough to count on the Heat with the inconsistent performances that they've gotten so far this series from their key contributors like Butler and Adebayo. Pick: Celtics -2 pppppppppppppp