The Miami Heat just keep on rolling despite facing numerous injuries to their star players. This team is incredibly well-coached and that has shown lately.
As for the Orlando Magic, they have now dropped six straight games and 13 out of their last 14. Will this finally be the game that they break their streak or will they continue down this rebuilding path?
Let’s dive into this NBA game betting preview and examine the NBA odds.
- Game: Miami Heat (17-12) at Orlando Magic (5-24)
- Location: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
- Day/Time: Friday, 7 p.m. ET
- Television: BSSUN
Miami Heat vs Orlando Magic
Heat: Who’s Next?
It’s not that often you see a team use so many different scorers to win ball games, yet that is exactly what the Heat are doing right now. In their last four games, Caleb Martin, Duncan Robinson, P.J. Tucker and Gabe Vincent have all led the team in that category.
Three of those games ended up being big wins over quality opponents. With Jimmy Butler ruled out for this game with a back injury and Bam Adebayo still recovering from thumb surgery, another player is going to need to step up and contribute.
In this spot, the Heat don’t have to do anything special. The Magic are so short-handed and beaten up that as long as the Heat aren’t half asleep, they’ll win. They look like a good option in the sportsbook.
Nothing Going Right for Magic
Magic fans expected a rough season filled with a ton of losses, but this is starting to get pretty bad. There are major injuries to the best players on this roster and there hasn’t been enough talent to step in.
Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac have missed the entire season while Jalen Suggs has missed the past couple weeks. Cole Anthony has emerged as their best offensive weapon. He averages 19.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists.
The only other player even remotely close to his impact on team success is rookie Franz Wagner, who has averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Wagner is an athletic small forward with a lot of defensive intangibles to succeed but he’s more of a role player than a star. There is no momentum for the Magic, but Anthony and Wagner are their only hopes of an upset.
Heat Road Favorites
The Heat have to win this game by a solid amount in order to cover the spread for those who bet online. There shouldn’t be much worry, though, given how the Magic have played recently.
For the Magic, only two of their last six haven’t been two-possession games. They have had a tough time keeping games interesting.
Miami, even with this many injuries, is the flat-out better team and should continue its strong stretch of play.
Parlay: Heat -6 and Under 209
Pick: Under 209
Pick: Miami Heat -6
