NBA Playoffs 2012: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, Game 1 Odds

The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat will open up the 2012 Eastern Conference final on Monday night inside the American Airlines Arena, with the opening tip scheduled for 8:30 ET on ESPN.

The Heat have opened up as 7.5-point home favorites in the betting odds, while the total has yet to be released.

Miami has reached this stage for the second consecutive year by moving past the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers in the first two rounds of the 2012 NBA playoffs, but played the last five games without the services of power forward Chris Bosh. His status is uncertain for this series due to an abdominal injury suffered on May 15.

The Heat dropped three of four contests against the Celtics during the regular season, including a 78-66 setback as seven-point road underdogs in the last meeting on April 24. It's important to note that this was the team's next-to-last regular-season game, which had Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade sitting out to rest up for the postseason.

Boston advanced past the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games by capturing an 85-75 victory as 5.5-point home favorites on Saturday night, with point guard Rajon Rondo leading the way in notching a triple-double, as all five starters finished in double figures in scoring.

Rondo figures to be a key figure in this series, averaging 13.3 points and 9.8 assists in 20 career regular-season games against the Heat, which will likely cause Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra to call on James to defend him in crucial moments down the stretch.

I'll take the Heat in Game 1, especially with Wade scoring 99 combined points in his last three games.

Prediction: Miami Heat 96, Boston Celtics 89

Follow on Twitter: @JeffGrantSports