The No. 8 seed Miami Heat and No. 1 seed Boston Celtics play in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs for the Eastern Conference starting Sunday, April 21.

Who will win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals?

Check out these NBA Playoffs series picks and predictions for the Eastern Conference matchup.

The Celtics are -8000 to win the series in NBA Playoffs odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook. The Heat are +1800.

The Celtics winning in four games is at -110 in odds for the outcome of the series. Boston is +180 to win in five games, +650 to win in six and +1200 to win in seven games.

The Heat are +5000 to take the series in six games, +8500 to win in seven games, +15000 to win in five games and +28000 to sweep the Celtics.

NBA Playoffs series picks: Suns vs Timberwolves | Mavericks vs Clippers | Lakers vs Nuggets | Magic vs Cavaliers | Pacers vs Bucks | 76ers vs Knicks | Heat vs Celtics | Pelicans vs Thunder | NBA Playoffs bracket | NBA Playoffs odds | NBA Championship odds

NBA.com: Celtics will sweep Heat in first-round playoff series

John Schuhmann writes: "The Heat have proven to be a resilient group, and the Celtics struggled against the zone in last year’s conference finals. And Boston has some recent postseason demons beyond that. But the Celtics are simply the much better team, especially with Butler unlikely to play. While Miami was able to stifle the Bulls’ 19th-ranked offense to get here, it now faces a much tougher challenge. The Celtics are a machine and they shouldn’t have much trouble reaching the conference semifinals for the seventh time in the last eight years."

DraftKings: Celtics will top Heat in five games

Chinmay Vaidya writes: "Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro should have solid series performances but the Celtics were the best team in the league for a reason. They smashed most advanced metrics and had an insane net rating, showcasing not only their talent but their ability to play together. They’re on a mission and won’t underestimate a team that has gotten the better of them multiple times in the playoffs. Give me Boston to wrap this up in five games."

NBA Playoffs schedule: Suns vs Timberwolves | Mavericks vs Clippers | Lakers vs Nuggets | Magic vs Cavaliers | Pacers vs Bucks | 76ers vs Knicks | Heat vs Celtics | Pelicans vs Thunder | Daily NBA game schedule

The Oklahoman: Celtics will defeat Heat in five games

Justin Martinez writes: "Miami defeated Boston in last season's Eastern Conference Finals, and it looked sharp against Chicago on Friday. But Boston got better this past offseason with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. The Celtics rank first in the NBA in offensive efficiency and third in defensive efficiency. And with Butler not in the mix, it's hard to imagine the Heat pulling off another upset."

VSIN.com: Bet the Celtics to beat Heat in four games

Jonathan Von Tobel writes: "Boston is the much better team in this series – a fact represented by the series price – and it is looking for revenge after its loss to Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The Celtics should be highly motivated to end this series quickly and with authority. There are many who probably believe the Heat can extend this series due to past success, but this team is not capable of that. Expect the Celtics to roll in the first round."

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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Heat vs Celtics NBA Playoffs series picks, predictions, odds