The Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat square off in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night. Boston is looking to defend home court after falling in Game 1. On Wednesday, the Heat topped the Celtics 123-116 to secure a 1-0 series lead. The Celtics are favored by 9.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Heat odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is 215.5.

The game at TD Garden in Boston will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET. Before making any Heat vs. Celtics picks or any other NBA predictions, you NEED to see which side Matthew Severance is on. 

Severance is a well-connected writer and handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. He is Sportsline's top NBA expert, entering this matchup a sizzling 101-53-1 (+3371) roll on his picks! 

Now, he has set his sights on Heat vs. Celtics and locked in his picks.

The expert knows Miami forward Jimmy Butler has been an electric and energetic difference-maker. Butler has a smooth jumper from the mid-range and gets to the rim with ease. The Marquette product is leading the team in points (31.5), assists (5.5) and steals (2.1). In the Game 1 win, he finished with 35 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

The expert also knows Boston guard Jaylen Brown continues to be an athletic and impactful force. Brown has the skillset to finish through contact in the lane and space the floor due to his calm jumper. The California product is putting up 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game during the postseason. He supplied 22 points and nine boards in his last outing.

Now, Severance has locked in another confident against the spread pick for Heat vs. Celtics. We can tell you he's leaning Over on the point total, but he knows a crucial X-factor makes one side of the spread a MUST-BACK! You ABSOLUTELY need to see what it is before locking in any picks of your own.

So who wins Heat vs. Celtics? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread hit HARD? Join SportsLine now to get Matt Severance's Celtics vs. Heat picks, all from the top NBA expert on a 101-53-1 roll!