Free NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 Picks, Best Bets, and Parlays for 5/17/22

The NBA Finals get underway tonight as Boston travels to Miami to take on the top-seeded Heat. The Celtics enter Game 1 after a 109-81 beatdown over the defending champion, Milwaukee Bucks. They will have a lot of momentum and confidence coming into this one. This series is going to be closely contested and every game is crucial.

We cashed our Best Bet on Sunday as the Mavericks covered the spread (by just a little bit). Our Best Bet of the Day record now stands at 97-49 in 2022.

We went 1-1 betting the MoneyLine and our overall record stands at 481-235 since Jan.1st.

Let’s look at what Vegas thinks about Game 1 as we start what should be a long, fascinating series. Can Boston steal a game on the Heat’s home floor?

*PAPA DUDES BEST BET OF THE DAY* Boston at Miami (-1.5): The Miami Heat have had some time off waiting for their next opponent as they eliminated the 76ers in 6 games. Jimmy Butler has led the way averaging 28.7 points per game in the playoffs. He has been very good and he has a strong supporting cast. Ben Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, and Victor Oladipo have all had their shining moments and they are averaging a combined 55 points per game. The Heat are the best defensive team in the league and have allowed less than 100 points in seven of their eleven games. They are going to guard the Celtics’ harder than anyone else has, and how successful they are against Boston’s perimeter shooting, will be a big key for them if they are going to win the series. Meanwhile, Boston has been very impressive in a first-round sweep of Brooklyn and it wasn’t easy outlasting a good Milwaukee team. They are playoff tested and won’t be intimidated by the physical play of the Heat. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a potent one-two punch and are two of the best players in the league. Marcus Smart and Al Horford have given the Celtics a physical presence that will be needed in this series. They aren’t given enough credit for their defensive prowess and they are capable of shutting down their opponents. I think this series is going 7 games and Miami better be ready after being idle for a few days. They can’t afford to lose this opening contest. PAPA DUDES BEST BET: Miami -1.5