Nets vs Heat Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions

Full-Time Irving Could Lead To Nets Surge

The Brooklyn Nets have been in flux all season long, between guard Kyrie Irving having to sit out due to COVID-19 restrictions to the trade of James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers and subsequent waiting for Ben Simmons to start playing. Throw in Kevin Durant’s injuries, and Brooklyn has rarely been at full strength all season long.

Other than Simmons making his season debut at some point, Brooklyn looks to be ready to hit the stretch run with all hands on deck. Irving can now play in home games for the Nets, giving coach Steve Nash a consistent lineup to work with.

The Nets have won six of eight, including a 22-16 mark on the road. Part of that has been having Irving for 20 games, mostly on the road, with the guard averaging 28.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in those contests.

Another big piece is having Durant healthy, as he’s leading the team with 29.7 points per game. He’s also averaging 7.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, and he should be even better with his high-scoring teammate by his side for every game.

Heat Trying To Come Back Together

It has been quite a week for the Miami Heat, as the rest of the Eastern Conference is nipping at their heels. The Heat had a mid-game blowup between Udonis Haslem and forward Jimmy Butler in a loss to the short-handed Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, then were outscored by 23 points in the fourth quarter on Friday night in losing a game to the visiting New York Knicks.

“A lot of bad bounces, in my opinion,” Miami center Bam Adebayo said of Friday’s loss. “Collectively, just got to get in the trenches again, look at film and bounce back.”

Butler bounced back from his sideline tiff with Spoelstra and others with 30 points against New York, and if the Heat are going to stay atop the East, he’ll need to play like the All-Star he was this season. Butler is averaging a team-best 21.4 points along with 6.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.

Guard Tyler Herro can also carry the team when he gets hot, as he’s averaging a career-best 20.9 points and shooting 39.1% from 3-point range. Unfortunately, he’s missed the last two games with a knee injury and may not be available for this contest.

Adebayo can mix it up in the paint on both ends of the floor, averaging 19.1 points and 10.2 rebounds. He’ll need to be a presence to keep the Nets off the offensive glass in this one.

Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat Head-to-Head

This is the last of four meetings between these two clubs, with the Miami Heat coming out on top in each of the first three this season. The Brooklyn Nets have been through a lot of changes over the campaign, so it’s hard to read a whole lot into those games heading into this contest.

Miami has actually won four straight overall against Brooklyn, though four of those games have been decided by six points or less. The Heat’s struggles of late and the coming together of the Nets make the NBA lines favoring the visiting Brooklyn not so surprising.

Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat Game Information

• Game: Brooklyn Nets (38-35) at Miami Heat (47-27)
• Location: FTX Arena
• Day/Time: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat Betting Lines

Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat Prediction

The Miami Heat may be at the edge of a great collapse after leading the Eastern Conference standings for much of the season. A home win over a top opponent would certainly help, but it won’t be easy to come by, especially with the Brooklyn Nets starting to look like the title contenders they were projected to be. This one should be close, but look for the Nets to pull away for the win late.

When making your NBA picks, take Brooklyn to win and cover on the road.

Pick: Brooklyn Nets -3½ (-110)