Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum cemented himself in NBA history Sunday afternoon.
And now, Massachusetts sportsbooks have another in-state playoff series to prepare for.
Tatum scored 51 points — the most ever in Game 7 league history — with 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals as the second-seeded Celtics upended the Philadelphia Sixers, 112-88, at home to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics now will face the eighth-seeded Miami Heat, starting Wednesday night at TD Bank Garden in Boston (8:30 p.m., TNT).
Keep an eye out for Massachusetts sportsbook bonuses this series, as several operators will have new offers.
Tatum, 25, was 17-for-28 from the field (6-for-10 from 3-point range) and 11-for-14 from the free-throw line. He picked up right where he left off down the stretch in the fourth quarter of Game 6 in Philadelphia, determined not to let his team down.
No Strangers Here
Last season, Boston defeated Miami with a 100-96 road win in Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals. This will mark the third time in the last four years the teams have met in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Heat defeating the Celtics in the Orlando bubble back in 2020.
This season, both teams split four regular season matchups with Miami winning the last two games, including a 98-95 win on Jan. 24 in their last meeting. All but one game (13) was decided by single digits (7, 4-OT, 3).
MORE: Celtics playoff chances
Latest Celtics-Heat Sportsbook Odds
Boston is a 7.5-point and -350 moneyline favorite entering Game 1 against the Heat on Wednesday as BetMGM Massachusetts released its latest odds Monday morning. The Heat are listed as a solid underdog at +260, with the over/under point total at 209.5.
The Celtics also have opened and maintained heavy favorite status entering Game 1 to advance to the NBA Championship Series.
Boston has been listed at -500 to win the series; the Heat are a heavy underdog at +375. Both teams have each taken 50% of the bets at BetMGM, but Boston has 93% of the handle compared to Miami's 7%.
Over at Barstool Massachusetts Sportsbook, the Celtics are 8-point and -360 moneyline favorites.
Look for BetMGM and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code if you are considering a wager on Game 1.
As for winning the title, BetMGM before the NBA Playoffs listed the Celtics as the favorite at +650 to win the championship. Boston is now a +110 favorite. The Heat opened at +1400 and moved slightly to +1200.
Boston has the second-highest ticket percentage at 12% (the Denver Nuggets have the highest at 14.8%). The Celtics have 17.2% of the handle percentage to win the NBA crown.
Also, BetMGM has Tatum as the favorite to win the Finals MVP at +160, followed by the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (+275), the Lakers’ LeBron James (+375) and Jokic’s teammate, Jamal Murray (+1600).
Stay close to BetMassachusetts.com for sports betting info on the Celtics and other Boston teams as well as for reviews of the best Massachusetts sports betting apps.
