The Miami Heat (15-12) travel to face the Boston Celtics (15-11) in an Eastern Conference matchup that pits two playoff contenders against each other. Both teams are hovering around .500 early in the 2025-26 season, with the Celtics looking to rebound from a recent home loss and the Heat aiming to build momentum after snapping a five-game skid. This game features a clash of styles: Miami’s gritty defense against Boston’s high-powered offense. The Celtics enter as favorites, bolstered by home-court advantage and Miami’s injury woes.
Venue Location,
The game will be held at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Sun (FDSSUN) and NBC Sports Boston (NBCS-BOS).
Team Records
Miami Heat: 15-12 (8th in Eastern Conference)
Boston Celtics: 15-11 (5th in Eastern Conference)
Boston holds a slight edge in the standings, with a stronger home record (8-5) compared to Miami’s road performance (5-8).
Recent Team Forms
Both teams have shown inconsistency lately, but Boston has been more stable overall.
Miami Heat Recent Form (Last 10 Games): The Heat have gone 5-5 in their last 10, including a five-game losing streak from December 3 to December 15 before bouncing back with a win on December 18. They’ve struggled defensively during losses, allowing an average of 115.8 points per game in that stretch.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Record After |
| Nov 23 | @PHI | W | 127-117 | 11-5 |
| Nov 24 | DAL | W | 106-102 | 12-5 |
| Nov 26 | MIL | W | 106-103 | 13-5 |
| Nov 29 | DET | L | 135-138 | 13-6 |
| Dec 1 | LAC | W | 140-123 | 14-6 |
| Dec 3 | @DAL | L | 108-118 | 14-7 |
| Dec 5 | @ORL | L | 105-106 | 14-8 |
| Dec 6 | SAC | L | 111-127 | 14-9 |
| Dec 9 | @ORL | L | 108-117 | 14-10 |
| Dec 15 | TOR | L | 96-106 | 14-11 |
| Dec 18 | @BKN | W | 106-95 | 15-11 |
(Note: Adjusted for the December 18 win to align with updated records; some sources reflect slight discrepancies, but the win snapped their skid.)
Boston Celtics Recent Form (Last 10 Games): The Celtics are 6-4 in their last 10, with a mix of strong wins and surprising losses, including a recent defeat to Detroit on December 15. They’ve been effective at home, winning 7 of their last 10 overall home games, but have dropped two straight entering this matchup.
While exact game-by-game details vary across sources, Boston was 7-3 in their previous 10 before the December 15 loss, indicating a dip in form. Key wins include blowouts against weaker teams, but they’ve struggled against top Eastern Conference foes, averaging 116.2 points per game offensively but allowing 112.0 in losses.
Injury Report
Miami Heat:
Tyler Herro (G): OUT (right big toe injury; expected to miss at least this game).
Pelle Larsson (G): GTD (ankle; day-to-day after missing recent action).
Nikola Jovic (F): OUT (ankle; expected to miss at least one week, sidelined until at least December 26).
Terry Rozier (G): OUT (knee; long-term, expected back around February 20).
Miami is significantly shorthanded, missing key backcourt scoring and depth.
Boston Celtics:
Sam Hauser (F): Probable (ankle; expected to play after being listed day-to-day).
Ron Harper Jr. (G): OUT (G League two-way assignment; not rotation player).
Boston is mostly healthy, giving them a clear edge in roster availability.
Player Matchups
This game highlights several intriguing battles, particularly with Miami’s injuries forcing adjustments:
Jimmy Butler (MIA) vs. Jaylen Brown (BOS): Butler’s physicality and mid-range game will test Brown’s defensive versatility. Brown averages 24.5 PPG this season and could exploit Butler if Miami’s star is fatigued from carrying the load without Herro and Rozier.
Bam Adebayo (MIA) vs. Kristaps Porzingis (BOS): Adebayo’s all-around play (averaging 18.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG) faces Porzingis’ spacing and rim protection. If Porzingis stretches the floor, it could pull Adebayo out of the paint, opening driving lanes for Boston.
Tyler Herro’s Absence Impact: With Herro out, expect more from Norman Powell (recently scoring 24 points vs. Brooklyn) against Derrick White, who could dominate the perimeter defensively.
Bench Battle: Boston’s depth (Jrue Holiday, Payton Pritchard) should overwhelm Miami’s depleted reserves, especially if Larsson sits.
Overall, Boston’s balanced lineup gives them matchup advantages across the board.
Series History
The Celtics dominate the all-time series, leading 86-54 in regular-season matchups. Including playoffs, Boston holds a 107-75 edge. In the last 10 games (regular season and playoffs), Boston is 8-2, including a 4-1 record in their most recent five encounters. Miami’s last win over Boston came on December 2, 2024 (108-89), but the Celtics have won the four subsequent meetings by an average of 15.8 points. This rivalry has playoff intensity, with Boston eliminating Miami in the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.
Betting Trends
Spread: The Celtics are 12-14-1 ATS this season but 7-6 ATS at home. Miami is 15-11-1 ATS overall and 3-2 ATS as a 6.5+ point underdog.
Over/Under: Boston games have hit the over in 12 of 27 (44.4%), while Miami’s have gone under in 15 of 27 (55.6%), reflecting their defensive focus.
Key Trends: The Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. Miami. The under has hit in 6 of the last 8 meetings between these teams. Miami is 4-1 ATS after a win but 2-5 ATS on the road against winning teams.
Game Odds
Miami Heat 231.5
Boston Celtics – 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, December 18, 2025
