NEW YORK vs MIAMI
When: 2/9/2021 7:30 PM
Where: Miami

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: MIAMI , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the Miami Heat listed as -7 point favorites versus the New York Knicks, while the game’s total is sitting at 208.

The Heat are 6-11 in conference matchups. Miami has a 1/3 record in one-possession games.

The Knicks have gone 8-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. New York averages 46.6 rebounds per game and is 1-10 when opponents win the rebound battle.

The teams square off for the second straight game.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Duncan Robinson leads the Heat with 3.4 made 3-pointers, and is averaging 13 points while shooting 40.4% from beyond the arc. Bam Adebayo is shooting 54.5% and averaging 21.5 points over the last 10 games for Miami.

Julius Randle leads the Knicks averaging 6.0 assists while scoring 22.7 points per game. Immanuel Quickley is averaging two made 3-pointers and scoring 14.2 points over the last 10 games for New York.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Heat: 3-7, averaging 103.4 points, 41.4 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 7.3 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.9 points on 44.4% shooting.

Knicks: 4-6, averaging 105.9 points, 46.7 rebounds, 20.2 assists, 5.9 steals, and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.2 points on 44.3% shooting.

INJURIES:

Heat: Avery Bradley: out (calf), Chris Silva: out (hip), Maurice Harkless: day to day (thigh), Goran Dragic: day to day (ankle), Meyers Leonard: out for season (shoulder).

Knicks: Derrick Rose: day to day (left knee), Nerlens Noel: day to day (knee).

BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes Miami and New York face off on Tuesday.

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WASHINGTON vs MIAMI
When: 2/5/2021 8:05 PM
Where:

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: -6.5
PREDICTION: MIAMI , WASHINGTON

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as -6.5 point favorites versus the WASHINGTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 230.

The Washington Wizards go for a two-game sweep of the host Miami Heat when the Southeast rivals meet in a rematch Friday night.

Superior 3-point shooting and a 48-35 run in the second half proved to be the difference Wednesday night as Washington rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to hand Miami the seventh defeat in its last eight games.

Bradley Beal extended his run of 25-point games to 17 with a game-high 32 points to fuel the win. He had four 3-pointers and teamed with Deni Avdija (three) and Davis Bertans (three) for 10 treys, helping the Wizards outshoot the Heat 40.5 percent to 34.3 percent from beyond the arc and outscore them 45-36 on 3-pointers.

The Wizards won despite resting Russell Westbrook on the second night of a back-to-back. He is expected to return for the rematch.

Washington’s win allowed it to offset an earlier 128-124 home loss to Miami. Neither Beal nor Westbrook played in that game, which was dominated offensively by the Heat’s Tyler Herro with 31 points and Jimmy Butler with 26.

Herro had 20 and Butler 19 on Wednesday.

One of the difference-makers in the rematch was Avdija, who had a season-best 20 points in the first meeting with the Heat.

He began a four-game stint on the sidelines for COVID-related reasons two games later, then had only two points against Brooklyn in his return to action on Sunday.

He has followed that up with a pair of 13-point games, making 10 of his 15 shots and five of his eight 3-pointers.

“We’ve gone through a lot,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said after the win. “We fought and we kept fighting, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re not happy with our win total. We’re going to keep competing.”

No team has been through more than the Heat this season. They fielded their most complete roster of the season Wednesday, then saw Avery Bradley have to leave the game with a strained calf.

He is not expected to play Friday night.

Meanwhile, several others who have been out of the lineup are still attempting to find their form. The big games Wednesday by Herro, who was playing for the fourth time since a seven-game layoff, and Butler, back for a third straight after a 10-game absence, were encouraging, even in defeat.

“You just have to continue to forge ahead,” Erik Spoelstra said. “Some of us have had experience being able to turn seasons around.”

The defeat gave the defending Eastern Conference champs (7-14) more losses than the Wizards (5-13), who have resided near the bottom of the Eastern standings all season.

The game ends a six-game homestand for the Heat, who have lost four of the first five games. They are completing their fifth NBA style doubleheader of the season, having twice earlier rebounded from a first-game loss with a second-game win over Milwaukee and Detroit.

Wednesday’s win was the Wizards’ first in either game of a same-opponent, same-site sequence this year. They’d been swept by Orlando and Chicago in earlier twin bills.

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WASHINGTON vs MIAMI
When: 2/3/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -8
PREDICTION: MIAMI , WASHINGTON

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as -8 point favorites versus the WASHINGTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 229.5.

The last time Miami played the Washington Wizards, the Heat’s Tyler Herro began a two-game burst in which he averaged 32.5 points and eight rebounds.

The teams will meet again, this time in Miami, on Wednesday night.

Much has changed since that game in Washington on Jan. 9, which Miami won 128-124.

A week later, Herro went down with a neck injury that cost him seven games.

In the three games since he returned, Herro hasn’t been quite the same, averaging 15 points and 5.7 rebounds.

“Our team has a deep roster,” Herro said. “I’m not really worried about the numbers.”

Meanwhile, the Wizards — who own the worst winning percentage in the NBA — are no longer short-handed. Stars Bradley Beal (COVID-19 protocol) and Russell Westbrook (quad injury) didn’t play in the Jan. 9 matchup.

On Tuesday night, Beal scored a game-high 37 points and sank six 3-pointers in Washington’s 132-121 loss to the visiting Portland Trail Blazers.

“Bradley Beal is a hell of a scorer,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.

Westbrook also had a big game, putting up a triple-double: 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The Wizards fell behind by 21 points in the first quarter and never caught up, though they got within four points in the final minutes. The result was Washington’s fifth loss in six games.

“You can’t get down 20 points and expect a comeback,” Washington coach Scott Brooks said. “We almost did it (Tuesday) … but we can’t get down by 20 points to start games. It just takes a lot out of you. It takes a lot out of you when you’re trying to get back into game shape. We were just slow (Tuesday), just sluggish for whatever reason.”

Wizards center Thomas Bryant underwent knee surgery on Tuesday due to an injury sustained in that earlier game against Miami. But Washington is getting solid frontcourt productivity from players such as Rui Hachimura, who scored 24 points against the Blazers, and rookie first-round pick Deni Avdija, who had 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists Tuesday.

The Heat, meanwhile, are reeling from a 129-121 overtime loss to the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Monday night. The Miami defense allowed reserve Malik Monk to score a career-high 36 points while shooting 9-for-13 from 3-point range.

One of those 3-pointers came with 16.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

“We have to find a way to get stops and finish it off,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We weren’t able to do that.

“There have been a lot of crippling errors, including live-ball turnovers. We’re last in the league in those. That’s probably our No. 1 priority. If we take care of those, a lot of other things will fall in line.”

There are positives for the Heat, however, and that includes the return of Jimmy Butler from a 10-game absence caused by pandemic protocols. In the two games since Butler returned, he is averaging 27.5 points, eight rebounds, 6.5 assists and two steals.

For the season, Bam Adebayo leads Miami in scoring (20.1) and rebounds (9.3). Adebayo, though, is not impressed with those gaudy numbers.

“You can play as much offense as you want,” he said, “but you have to play defense to win.”

The Wizards can relate to that sentiment after allowing Portland to shoot 21-for-46 (45.7 percent) from beyond the arc on Tuesday.

“We were late to everything,” Beal said of Washington’s inability to get out to challenge shooters. “We were late on our defensive rotations. Offensively, we didn’t play hard enough or fast enough.”

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CHARLOTTE vs MIAMI
When: 2/1/2021 7:30 PM
Where:

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: MIAMI , CHARLOTTE

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as 4.5 point favorites versus the CHARLOTTE, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.5.

Something old, something new — that’s what will be in play on Monday night when the Charlotte Hornets visit the Miami Heat.

Something old is Jimmy Butler, the 31-year-old Heat star who returned to action on Saturday night against the Sacramento Kings after missing 10 straight games due to COVID-19 protocol. Butler delivered a season-high 30 points to go with a game-high eight assists and seven rebounds in 34 minutes. He also had zero turnovers and made the go-ahead layup with 42 seconds left in a 105-104 win.

“You simply cannot put a modern-day analytic to Jimmy’s will to win,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He was not going to let us lose.”

Something new is LaMelo Ball, the Hornets rookie who could be making his first NBA start on Monday. On Friday night, in a 126-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Ball provided a team-high-tying 27 points and a game-high-tying nine assists to go with five rebounds, four steals and just one turnover.

Hornets coach James Borrego said Ball has infectious energy.

“What makes him special is that he loves the game,” Borrego said. “He has great joy for his teammates. He makes me want to coach with more joy.”

Ball was 8-for-10 shooting against the Bucks, including going 2-for-3 on 3-pointers. He was also 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.

For the season, Ball — the third pick in the 2020 NBA Draft — is second on the Hornets in assists (6.1), fourth in rebounds (5.9) and fifth in scoring (12.2). His three-point shooting (29.9 percent) needs work, but he is clearly enjoying himself.

“He makes everyone around him better,” teammate Miles Bridges said.

Ball’s possible ascension to the starting lineup has to do with his productivity and also due to Terry Rozier’s sprained right ankle. Rozier was injured in the first half against the Bucks, and he did not return, playing just 18 minutes as the Hornets won their second straight game.

Rozier is second on the team in scoring (18.6) and in three-point percentage (43.5). But his assists average (2.8) pales in comparison to Ball, indicative of their different playing styles.

The other big story in Charlotte is rejuvenated forward Gordon Hayward, 30, who is on pace for the best scoring season of his career (23.2).

For Miami, Butler leads the team in assists (5.7) and steals (1.9) while ranking second in scoring (17.9). He makes 91.1 percent of his free throws, which is vital because he gets to the foul line so often, including a 14-for-16 performance on Saturday.

Bam Adebayo has carried the Heat most of this season, leading the team in scoring (19.9) and rebounds (9.4) while ranking second in assists (5.5).

But Miami has been plagued by injuries/illness, even after getting Butler and Tyler Herro (neck) back within the past few days. Five players remain on the injured list: Avery Bradley (knee), Goran Dragic (groin), Maurice Harkless (thigh), Meyers Leonard (shoulder) and Chris Silva (hip).

Dragic, who is fourth on the team in scoring (15.9) and third in assists (5.3), is the biggest piece still missing from Miami’s attack, but Bradley (9.8 scoring average) should have a key role upon his return. Both of them are considered day-to-day.

Meanwhile, Herro, who is third on the team in scoring (17.5), learned his housemate tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday night. It’s possible Herro could have to quarantine and miss games, including Monday against the Hornets.

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SACRAMENTO vs MIAMI
When: 1/30/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -5.5
PREDICTION: MIAMI , SACRAMENTO

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as -5.5 point favorites versus the SACRAMENTO, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.

The Miami Heat, who are set to host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night, used 15 different starting lineups last season.

This season, with the Heat off to a struggling 6-12 start, Miami has already used 13 different lineups, tied with the Houston Rockets for the most in the league. Miami also has the longest active losing streak in the NBA at five games.

Heat standouts Jimmy Butler (COVID-19 protocols) and Goran Dragic (groin) are among the many Miami players dealing with health issues. Dragic has been ruled out for Saturday, so he will miss his third straight game. Butler, though, has been upgraded to questionable, and it’s possible he could return after missing 10 consecutive games.

Miami’s Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala are listed as questionable, but Meyers Leonard, Moe Harkless and Chris Silva will not play on Saturday.

“In a perfect world, we’d like to be in a better place than we’re in right now, but we’re not,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We just have to continue to grind.”

Miami, 4-5 at home this season, will try to level that ledger against a Kings team that defeated the Toronto Raptors 126-124 on Friday night in Tampa.

It was Sacramento’s third straight win, and the Kings improved their road record to 3-4.

The Kings are led by a talented trio. Point guard De’Aaron Fox, shooting guard Buddy Hield and forward Harrison Barnes are Sacramento’s top three scorers on the season, and they were against the Raptors, too.

Barnes scored 26 points, Fox had 24 and Hield added 22. The Kings are now one victory away from their longest single-season winning streak since they won five in a row from Oct. 24-Nov. 1, 2018.

“Things are going in the right direction,” Barnes said. “There’s joy in being in these close games and winning, but this is no time to relax.”

Sacramento’s bench was also big on Friday. Former Heat center Hassan Whiteside had 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, Cory Joseph scored 16 points and rookie point guard Tyrese Haliburton dazzled with 10 points, a game-high 11 assists and six rebounds.

Whiteside is getting healthy just in time to face his former franchise. This was his second game back after missing four in a row due to a hip injury.

Barnes said it was “huge” for Whiteside to contribute 20 minutes off the bench. Whiteside hit 6 of 7 shots from the floor and 4 of 6 free throws while adding one block, one assist and one steal.

“He gives us a different look,” Barnes said. “He puts pressure on defenses.”

The Heat and Kings split two games last season, both of them pre-pandemic, with each team winning on its home court.

One thing to watch Saturday is the health of Heat guard Tyler Herro, who returned Thursday and had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Miami’s 109-105 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Herro, who had missed seven straight games due to a neck injury, is still not 100 percent.

Regardless of the injuries and the losses, though, Herro said he and his teammates remain resolute.

“We’re good in this locker room,” he said of the team’s spirits. “We will figure it out soon.”

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DETROIT vs MIAMI
When: 1/18/2021 3:00 PM
Where:

TV: 3:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: MIAMI , DETROIT

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at .

This is the first time in his life as a big-time basketball player that Jerami Grant is the No. 1 option — and he is enjoying the ride.

Grant, averaging 24.8 points in his first season with the Detroit Pistons, kept his momentum going Saturday night with 24 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four blocks, two steals and zero turnovers in a 120-100 win over the host Miami Heat.

The Pistons and Heat meet again Monday night in Miami, and Grant will surely be a big part of the scouting report.

“I’m still learning and growing, seeing what my team needs from me,” said Grant, a potential first-time All-Star this season if he maintains this pace. “We’re still getting to know each other on this team, but we have potential.”

The same can be said for Grant, 26. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 12.5 points as a high school senior on a loaded team at DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) and then averaged 3.9 points and 12.1 points in two years at Syracuse, which won 30 and 28 games, respectively, in those two seasons.

A second-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014, Grant bounced from Philly to Oklahoma City to Denver in his first six seasons, never averaging more than 13.6 points.

He signed a three-year, $60-million deal with the Pistons in November, and the son of Harvey Grant and nephew of Horace Grant — both ex-NBA standouts — has finally started to blossom.

The Pistons, who have yet to win consecutive games this season, are hoping to take advantage of a short-handed Heat team that on Saturday was without Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley — both due to COVID-19 protocol — as well as Tyler Herro (neck spasms) and Meyers Leonard (shoulder).

Herro and Butler are two of Miami’s top three scorers. In addition, Butler tops the team in steals and is regarded as the team’s emotional leader.

But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra refuses to make excuses.

“These are the circumstances, and it’s not just for us,” he said. “A lot of teams are going through this.”

The Heat did get six players back from the COVID protocol on Saturday, and that includes a pair of recent All-Stars in Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic. Adebayo leads Miami in scoring (18.6), rebounds (8.8) and blocks (1.2) while also dishing 5.1 assists. Dragic leads Miami’s second unit and is averaging 14.4 points with a team-high 5.6 assists.

Still, the Heat’s injury/illness issues have forced some newcomers to fill in, and that includes KZ Okpala, who made his first NBA start on Saturday and produced 16 points while sinking 4 of 5 3-point attempts.

In addition, Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 24 points on Tuesday against the 76ers and then added 21 points in the rematch on Thursday.

Vincent was an undrafted player, and Okpala was a second-round selection by the Phoenix Suns in 2019.

But while the Heat on Monday will look for help from these under-the-radar players, Detroit can turn to Grant as well as established veterans such as Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose. Griffin had 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds on Saturday. Rose, who had missed Detroit’s two previous games due to left-knee soreness, produced 23 points, four assists and four steals in 21 minutes off the bench.

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MIAMI vs BUFFALO
When: 1/3/2021 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: -5
PREDICTION: BUFFALO , MIAMI

Oddsmakers currently have the BUFFALO listed as -5 point favorites versus the MIAMI, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.

Miami needs a win in Sunday’s regular-season finale at Buffalo to guarantee its first postseason berth since 2016.

The Dolphins (10-5) can also get into the playoffs with one loss by either the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts or Baltimore Ravens.

The Bills (12-3) have already clinched their first division title since 1995, but a win would lock up the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Miami will be without starting linebacker Elandon Roberts, who suffered a knee injury in last week’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Wide receiver/punt returner Jakeem Grant, who suffered an ankle injury against the Raiders, is expected miss the Buffalo game. Three other key Dolphins are questionable: receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring), guard Solomon Kindley (knee) and defensive end Shaq Lawson (shoulder).

For Buffalo, wide receiver Cole Beasley is doubtful due to a knee injury. He ranks second on the team in receptions (82) and receiving yards (967) and has four touchdowns this season.

If Beasley sits, that could open the way for rookie Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie to get more targets. Starting receiver John Brown (COVID-19 protocol) is already on injured reserve.

At quarterback, the Dolphins will again start rookie Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched in the fourth quarter against the Raiders and replaced by veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Even though Fitzpatrick led Miami to victory, Dolphins coach Brian Flores said he is sticking with Tagovailoa as his No. 1.

“Tua has brought us a spark in many other games, but people forget that because they just remember the last thing,” Flores said. “I think Tua has played fairly well. People can disagree. We will agree to disagree in that case.”

Tagovailoa is 6-2 in eight starts this season and has done a good job of avoiding turnovers. His touchdown-to-interception ratio is an impressive 10-2. He is also completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 161.4 yards per game.

At times, however, Tagovailoa has been indecisive, which has led to 19 sacks (sack rate of 7.6 percent).

Fitzpatrick has been sacked 14 times with a sack rate of 5.0 percent, which is a sign that the 38-year-old veteran knows where he wants to go with the ball and gets rid of it quickly.

Overall, Fitzpatrick is completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 232.3 yards per game for 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His interception rate is much higher than Tagovailoa’s (3.0 to 0.9).

Fitzpatrick, who has never made the playoffs in his 16-year NFL career, is 4-3 as a starter this season.

For Buffalo, wide receiver Stefon Diggs is the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week after catching nine passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns in Monday’s 38-9 road victory against the New England Patriots.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 34 touchdown passes this season, breaking Jim Kelly’s previous franchise record. Allen also has eight 300-yard games, which broke the previous team record set by Drew Bledsoe.

So far this season, Allen has passed for 4,320 yards at a completion rate of 69.1 percent.

“The records, this and that, it’s cool,” Allen said. “But the plan is to get us to 13-3 to give us a chance in the playoffs. The records don’t mean much if we can’t get it done.”

That quote ought to answer anyone who doubts the Bills will be playing to win on Sunday.

And a motivated Bills team is dangerous, especially with Diggs, who has already set a franchise record this season with a league-leading 1,459 receiving yards. Diggs, who also leads the NFL with 120 receptions, credits Allen.

“We have a young quarterback who’s balling,” Diggs said.

Buffalo’s top two running backs — Devin Singletary and Zack Moss — both have South Florida roots, and they have combined to rush for 1,153 yards and six TDs this season.

Allen is also a major threat to run, with 418 yards and eight touchdowns. But he has to be wary of turnovers — he has nine interceptions and nine total fumbles (six lost) this season.

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MIAMI vs DALLAS
When: 1/1/2021 7:00 PM
Where:

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: DALLAS , MIAMI

Oddsmakers currently have the DALLAS listed as point favorites versus the MIAMI, while the game’s total is sitting at .

It’s been an odd start to the NBA season, and the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat — who meet Friday night in Texas — are two prime examples.

The Heat got blasted 144-97 by the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday – the most points Miami has ever allowed in a home game. Milwaukee set an NBA record with 29 3-point baskets.

Yet, the Heat beat that same Bucks team 24 hours later, 119-108. That’s a 58-point turnaround.

“You want to develop some grit and toughness, and our guys responded,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We had a different level of competitiveness.”

Meanwhile, the Mavericks routed the Los Angeles Clippers 124-73 on Sunday. Dallas’ 77-27 halftime lead was the largest in the NBA’s shot-clock era, which began in 1954-55.

Yet, three nights later, the Mavericks were humbled by the visiting Charlotte Hornets, 118-99.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who is from Slovenia, should be motivated to defeat the Heat. Doncic is 0-4 against the Heat and their Slovenian star, Goran Dragic.

In fact, the Heat have beaten Dallas six straight times in the battle between these rivals.

Miami and Dallas have history. The Heat won their first-ever NBA title by beating the Mavericks in the 2006 Finals. Then, in 2011, the Mavericks won their only NBA title by beating the Heat.

On Friday, the connections between the teams will be even stronger as Dallas boasts two former Heat players in Josh Richardson and James Johnson. In addition, Tim Hardaway Jr. is a Miami native and the son of a legendary Heat guard.

Hardaway, who is averaging 14.5 points, and Richardson (13.5 points) are both Mavericks starters. However, Richardson has been slowed by a calf injury and scored just four points on 1-for-10 shooting on Wednesday against the Hornets.

Doncic leads the Mavs in scoring (23.8), rebounding (5.8) and assists (6.3). However, he was held to 12 points, five assists and two rebounds by Charlotte. He also missed all five of his three-point shots.

“It’s clear Luka doesn’t have his rhythm yet,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

The Mavericks won’t be at full strength until the return of star big man Kristaps Porzingis, who is out due to an August knee injury and went through his first full workout on Tuesday. He is expected to return at some point in January.

Center Bam Adebayo leads the Heat in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (7.3) while also dishing 5.0 assists per game.

The Heat have played the past two games without forward Jimmy Butler, who leads the team in assists (6.0) but is out due to a sprained right ankle. If Butler remains out, Adebayo, who is 6-9 and 255 pounds, could be asked to guard Dallas’ best player, Doncic (6-7, 230). Butler, also 6-7 and 230 pounds and a four-time selection to the NBA’s All-Defense second team, would be a natural to try to contain Doncic.

However, Adebayo is getting these tough assignments more and more, including Tuesday and Wednesday, when he battled Milwaukee two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Bam knows how important he is to us,” Spoelstra said, “on both ends of the court.”

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MILWAUKEE vs MIAMI
When: 12/29/2020 7:35 PM
Where:

TV: 7:35 PM
LINE: 4.5
PREDICTION: MIAMI , MILWAUKEE

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as 4.5 point favorites versus the MILWAUKEE, while the game’s total is sitting at 222.5.

The Milwaukee Bucks, coming off an embarrassing loss, will visit the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

Miami may be without star Jimmy Butler, who is doubtful with a sprained right ankle.

Milwaukee, which has been the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs in each of the past two seasons, lost in blowout fashion to the New York Knicks on Sunday night, 130-110.

Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points, 13 rebounds) and Khris Middleton (22 points) were productive against the Knicks, but it wasn’t enough as New York shot 54.1 percent from the floor and made 16-of-27 3-pointers (59.3 percent).

“We all know we have to be better,” Bucks forward Bobby Portis said after losing to the Knicks, who have not made the playoffs since 2013.

The Bucks, now with two losses in their first three games, would love to get back on track against the Heat, who knocked them out of the playoffs last season with a five-game upset in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Miami’s issue on Tuesday figures to be the status of Butler’s right ankle. Butler missed the second half of Miami’s home-opening win against the New Orleans Pelicans, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra announced Monday afternoon that his star forward is doubtful for the Bucks.

“We’ll continue to get him treatment,” Spoelstra said. “Each situation is different. You want to treat each injury with the most intelligent response.”

Butler is averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds — numbers that have been held down due to the injury. Still, he leads the team in steals (4.0) and is second in assists (6.0).

If Butler is unable to play, there will be more of a focus on Bam Adebayo, who leads the team in scoring (21.0) and rebounds (7.5).

But the Heat also have several other ways of beating teams, a list that includes the long-range shooting of Duncan Robinson (52.6 percent on 3-pointers), Meyers Leonard (60.0 percent) and Tyler Herro (off to a slow start at 33.3 percent).

Defensively, the Heat added Avery Bradley to the team this season, and he has already made an impact with his relentless pressure. Butler and Adebayo also factor in Miami’s defense in a significant way.

Finally, there’s the Heat bench, a mostly veteran group led by point guard Goran Dragic, who is second on the team in scoring (19.0) and tops in assists (8.0). Bradley, Andre Iguodala and rookie Precious Achiuwa (9.5 scoring average) are other key members of Miami’s bench brigade.

Milwaukee’s reserves are led by Portis, who is averaging 10.0 points and 7.7 rebounds, rookie Jordan Nwora (8.0 scoring average) and D.J. Augustin (7.5 points).

Augustin, who was with the Orlando Magic the past four years, is one of Milwaukee’s biggest offseason additions. The Bucks also added Jrue Holiday, who spent the past seven years with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Holiday is averaging 15.9 points and 6.4 assists for his career. This season, he is averaging 15.0 points and 4.7 assists as he makes the adjustment to playing with the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo, the two-time reigning MVP of the league, is averaging 25.7 points and 13.0 rebounds. He has made four straight All-Star teams and is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Middleton, an All-Star in each of the past two years, is leading Milwaukee in scoring (26.7) and assists (6.0).

The key for the Bucks, however, will be getting more secondary scoring beyond their two stars while also doing a much better job on defense.

The post MILWAUKEE vs. MIAMI 12/29/2020 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

OKLAHOMA ST vs MIAMI
When: 12/29/2020 5:30 PM
Where:

TV: 5:30 PM
LINE: 2.5
PREDICTION: MIAMI , OKLAHOMA ST

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the OKLAHOMA ST, while the game’s total is sitting at 58.5.

Perhaps the Miami Hurricanes have caught a break.

Or maybe not.

The 18th-ranked Hurricanes (8-2) will play the No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-3) in the Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29 in Orlando, Fla.

Oklahoma State is 2-2 against ranked teams this season and Miami is 1-2. The Hurricanes are coming off an embarrassing 62-26 home loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels, who had 554 yards rushing and 778 yards in total offense.

“Our kids have a bad taste in our mouths after that game,” Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz said.

The break that Miami might have caught is that Cowboys star running back Chuba Hubbard earlier this month opted to skip the rest of the season to prepare for the NFL draft.

Hubbard was a unanimous All-America selection last season, when he rushed for 2,094 yards, a 6.4-yard average and 21 touchdowns.

This year, Hubbard managed just 625 yards, a 4.7 average and five TDs. He hasn’t played since Nov. 21 due to an ankle injury, and his backups have done very well.

Meanwhile, Miami has been weakened on defense as both of their star defensive ends — Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche — are skipping the bowl game to prepare for the draft. Phillips and Roche combined this season for 30 tackles for losses, 12.5 sacks, four passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and one interception.

Redshirt freshmen Jahfari Harvey and Cam Williams are Miami’s new starting defensive ends, and they combined for 3.5 tackles for losses this season, albeit in few snaps.

The Cowboys, who have alternated a loss with a win for their past six games, are coming off an impressive 42-3 victory over Baylor on Dec. 12.

With Hubbard out, the Cowboys have had a 100-yard rusher in each of their past three games. The streak started when Dezmon Jackson rushed for 235 yards (6.5 average) and three touchdowns in a 50-44 win over Texas Tech.

“All week, I was running so hard to get myself in shape because this was my first start,” Jackson said after that game. “Practice translates to the field, and I wasn’t really tired in the game.”

Jackson then had 118 yards (4.1 average) in a 29-22 loss to Texas Christian.

Against Baylor, Dominic Richardson ran for 169 yards (7.3 average) and three touchdowns.

Oklahoma State’s passing game, led by Spencer Sanders, also is dangerous. Sanders, a second-year starter, has passed for 26 touchdowns and 3,767 yards in the past two years. But he also has been intercepted 19 times in 19 games.

Cowboys wide receiver Tylan Wallace, a third-year starter, has 53 catches for 877 yards and six TDs. But when he went down with a leg injury against Baylor, OSU’s Dillon Stoner had a huge game, grabbing eight passes for 247 yards and three scores.

Oklahoma State’s ability to find new stars on the fly has to concern a shaken Hurricanes defense, especially without their star linemen. Miami starting cornerback Al Blades also is out, due to myocarditis, a heart condition.

Offensively, Miami is led by D’Eriq King, who has passed for 2,573 yards, 22 TDs and just five interceptions this year. He has also rushed for 520 yards and four touchdowns.

Wide receiver Mike Harley (49 catches, 730 yards, six TDs) is King’s biggest playmaker.

Tight ends Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory — both NFL prospects — have combined this season for 48 catches, 742 yards and nine touchdowns.

The post Cheez-It Bowl: Oklahoma St vs. Miami 12/29/2020 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.