NBA playoff preview and tips: Boston Celtics at Miami Heat - Game Six

Under 212.5 points

Boston are the 150th team to have fallen to a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA playoffs. No team has ever overturned it, with just three teams forcing a game seven. The Celtics are a -3 favourite with SX.bet.

The Celtics got the job done from downtown as they threw up 39 three-point attempts, a slight decrease on game five's numbers, making 16 compared to Miami's nine.

Four out of five starters surpassed 20 points, led by Derrick White, but their defensive effort also contributed to winning the game.

Although Miami shot the ball well, making 51.3% of their shots, Joe Mazzulla's side forced seven additional turnovers all by way of steals.

The visitors find themselves in the same position as their previous series where they trailed 3-2 to the Philadelphia 76ers. They went on to win that series.

The obvious difference here is that trailing 3-0 in the first place requires an extra level of effort. Boston have been locked in since the first minute of the last three games and still have two tough nights ahead of them.

For that reason, we can't back them to win with confidence. We don't know where their legs and their minds will truly be.

However, we can look at the total. It went under in game five as Miami were held under 100 points for a second consecutive game.

The level of defensive intensity should be so high on Saturday that it wouldn't be a surprise to see both teams register around 100 points or below.

Do-or-die playoff games can become defensive and Miami will feel like if they can slow down the Celtics from beyond the arc, they eliminate their threat of scoring. We're betting on under 212.5 points in game six.