Winners of four of their last five, the Miami Heat can continue moving up the standings by taking advantage of the sliding Brooklyn Nets. The visitors have dropped five straight contests and are 7-12 since trading Kevin Durant. The NBA lines favor Miami and even if it has struggled to cover the spread all season, beating Brooklyn should be automatic. Right?
Nets Struggling To Score
It’s going about as well as most would think when the Nets let its superstars go: not enough offense. While Brooklyn has maintained a decent defense, it is ranked among the five worst NBA teams in offensive rating (111.1) and effective field goal percentage (52.3%) since the deal.
Mikal Bridges and Spencer Dinwiddie have carried the Nets’ offense by combining to average 43.8 points. But the latter is one of the few playmakers on the team and others like Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons are either undependable or unavailable. It’s tough betting online on Brooklyn when their reliable scorers are only two or three guys.
Ben Simmons has a “nerve impingement” in his back and will be out indefinitely while the Nets determine the best long-term course of treatment pic.twitter.com/AAnV7TOjQP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 24, 2023
The lack of offense combined with the defense is also why 11 of their last 19 games have gone under the total. Heading to this game against Miami, the 223 points are once again one of the lower totals of the night.
Heat Need To Find Balance
Miami started out as a team that struggled to score but defended well to the opposite. Prior to the All-Star break, the Heat were 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) but fifth in defensive rating (111.2). Since then, Miami has improved its offense (115.0 and 16th overall) at the expense of its defense (117.4 and 23rd overall).
This Jekyll-and-Hyde-like transformation has made it tough to make NBA picks based on the Heat’s games. But one thing remains constant: this team sucks on the NBA point spreads. The Heat’s 38% cover rate (27-44-3) is the worst in the NBA. And as a favorite, this is down to 35.3% (18-33-3).
The team has also not won more than three straight games since December 17. You can blame the lack of consistent point guard play for many of these discrepancies. Kyle Lowry is banged up and is a shell of himself. And Miami failed to acquire an alternative during the NBA Trade Deadline. Sometimes betting online on Miami can feel like rolling the dice.
Nets vs Heat Game Injuries
Nets vs Heat Head-to-Head
The low totals are indicative of these teams’ on-and-off offenses. Eight of these teams’ last 11 meetings have also gone under the total. Brooklyn has won three straight versus Miami including its last one post-Durant trade.
Nets vs Heat Game Information
- Game: Nets (39-34) vs Heat (40-34)
- Location: Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
- Day/Time: Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m. ET
- Nets vs Heat Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Nets vs Heat Betting Lines
Nets vs Heat Picks & Prediction
Monitor the NBA news to see Lowry’s availability. Despite his deteriorating play, he’s still an asset to the team. His presence will bolster Miami on both ends of the floor. But whether he plays or not, Miami has enough to get past Brooklyn. The lines may just shift depending on his status.
Brooklyn is listed at +190 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Nets, you have a chance to win $190. Miami is -230, offering a chance to win $43 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Brooklyn a 34.48% chance to win, with the Heat at 69.70%
Nets vs Heat Trends
Nets vs Heat Edge
Nets vs Heat Results
Nets vs Heat Game Summary
Heats vs Nets Previous Game (Feb 15. 2023)
Heats vs Nets Previous Game (Feb 15. 2023)The Miami Heat and the Brooklyn Nets will play their final game before the All-Star break on Wednesday, giving each team a nine-day rest. Only one player in this game will not get that extended rest, Bam Adebayo, who will be playing in the All-Star Game.
The Heat lost 112-108 in their last game facing the Denver Nuggets on Monday, putting up a fight against the best team in the Western Conference. In the Nets’ previous game, they saw a nine-game win streak against their in-city rivalry end, losing to the New York Knicks 124-106.
