NBA Playoffs 2020: TV Schedule, Dates and Odds for Heat vs. Celtics

The Miami Heat need one more victory over the Boston Celtics to land their sixth NBA Finals berth in franchise history.

Miami failed in its first attempt to close out the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday. Its second chance comes Sunday in Game 6 inside the Orlando bubble. 

Boston needs to fend off elimination for the second straight game to set up Game 7 and move one victory from setting up a NBA Finals matchup with two of the most historic franchises in the league. 

The Los Angeles Lakers are waiting for the Eastern Conference champion. If Miami wins Game 6, the championship series will begin Wednesday. If Boston forces Game 7, the NBA Finals will start Friday.

Eastern Conference Finals Information

Game 6: Sunday, September 27 (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Game 7 (if necessary): Wednesday, September 30 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Eastern Conference Finals Odds

Game 6

Boston (-3.5; -156)

Miami (+3.5; 132)

Over/Under: 214.5

To Win Series

Miami (-205)

Boston (+164)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

One of the many keys to Boston's success moving forward has to be an even scoring distribution out of its starters.

In Game 5, the Celtics had each of their five starters reach double digits, and Gordon Hayward added 10 points off the bench.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are always going to receive the spotlight for their scoring abilities. If they are joined by Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart, Kemba Walker and even Hayward in double digits, they could be hard to beat. 

The difference between Boston's scoring levels and the six players who eclipsed 10 points for Miami was the volume in which its top players sunk baskets. Tatum and Brown combined for 59 points, while no Miami player was able to reach the 25-point mark. 

If Boston limits the production of Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and others, it could open up a path to Game 7. In Games 3 and 5, Butler was held beneath 20 points and went 11-of-24 from the field. 

If the Celtics hold Miami's top star around 40 percent from the field and beneath 20 points, Tatum and Brown could create the necessary difference in the scoring column. 

Brad Stevens' team also needs to keep up its three-point defending after holding the Heat to 19.4 percent from beyond the arc Friday. 

Only four Heat players converted a basket from three-point range in Game 5, and Duncan Robinson accounted for three of the seven makes. 

In Game 4, Tyler Herro and Dragic combined to knock down eight triples to boost them over 20 points alongside Butler and Bam Adebayo.

Even though Miami's shooters stole the Game 4 spotlight, it has not outshot Boston from deep in the series. The Celtics are shooting 34.5 percent from three-point range compared to Miami's 30.1 percent. 

While Boston has a path to victory in Game 6, it does not come at the best betting value as the favored side. 

Miami is the best pick when it comes to betting the Game 6 spread and moneyline since the payout is larger with both. 

The Heat have not lost back-to-back games in the postseason and responded to their two previous losses with victories in Game 5 against Milwaukee and Game 4 versus Boston. 

If Miami finds a way to contain Tatum and Brown in a similar fashion to Game 2 in which both players had 21 points, it could have the late advantage that allows Butler to thrive and avoid a seventh game.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.