Miami Heat at Boston Celtics 2010 NBA Preview, Odds, and Predictions: The National Basketball Association kicks off the 2010 season tonight in Boston at the TD Banknorth Garden as the revamped Miami Heat head north to take on the raining Eastern Conference Champions the Boston Celtics at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. Heat President Pat Riley brought back All Star guard Dwayne Wade and added Superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh along with a host of others to put a top caliber team on the floor for head basketball coach Erik Spoelstra in hopes of bringing another Larry O’Brien Trophy to Miami as NBA Champions. “We’re all ready for this because of how long the summer has seemed,” Spoelstra said after Monday’s final practice at home. “Seemed like it’s taken forever to get to this point. But it’s finally here. And finally we can have most of the talk about the game and not all these other things which people are interested in right now, which is normal. But let’s play.”
It wasn’t that long ago the the Boston Celtics put together their “big 3” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen together and won a Championship in Boston. This year the Celtics still have those three along with All Star point Guard Rajon Rondo and have added center Shaquille O’Neal to round out a really BIG five for their starting lineup. ”Once LeBron took his talents to South Beach, I think everyone got excited,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said trying to deflect the attention off of his team and back on the Heat. The odds makers at Bodog have the Boston Celtics a PICK/Even odds at home against the Miami Heat.
The Heat were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs last season by the Boston Celtics. Wade averaged 26.6 points, 6.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.84 steals last season. LeBron played for Cleveland the last 7 season and was also driven from the playoffs by the Celtics after averaging 29.7 points, 8.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 1.64 steals last season. Bosh came to the Heat as a free agent from Toronto and averaged 24.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 36.1 minutes last season. Vegas odds makers have the Miami Heat +170 to win the 2010-2011 NBA Championship.
Boston was defeated in 7 games in the NBA Championship by the Los Angeles Lakers last season. The Celtics have all of their nucleus returning as well as Shaq and center Jermaine O’Neal picked up from the Heat. Vegas odds makers have the over/under for the total score at 189 1/2 points combined of the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
I predict a Miami Heat Victory on the road. Note: Rich Fritz is a Blog Writer on NSAwins.com and not a pro handicapper. For expert NBA Predictions against the vegas spreads please visit the NSAwins.com homepage for top predictions today from the National Sports Advisors.