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The Miami Heat are set to visit the Footprint Arena to take on the Phoenix Suns in what should be an intriguing interconference showdown between two of the top teams in the NBA. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Heat-Suns prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
The Miami Heat won its most recent affair against the Portland Trail Blazers despite missing star forward Jimmy Butler. This is a testament to Miami's resiliency all season long. Despite dealing with several injuries and COVID up and down their roster, Miami still holds the no. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 24-15 record.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns continue to roll amidst this COVID-riddled NBA season. The Suns did hit a wall at some point as COVID eventually caught up with some of their key guys. After going on a stretch where they lost three of four games, Phoenix has regained its footing, having won its last three games. With the help of a mini-slump from the Golden State Warriors, the Suns have regained the top spot in the league standings with a 30-8 record.
Here is how FanDuel has set the Suns-Heat odds for this Sunday night NBA matchup.
NBA odds: Heat-Suns Odds
Heat: +9 (-112)
Suns: -9 (-108)
Over: 217.5 (-110)
Under: 217.5 (-110)
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Why the Heat Could Cover the Spread
Miami enters this matchup as underdogs, simply because they are still missing plenty of key players. Even star forward Jimmy Butler is questionable ahead of Saturday's matchup due to a sprained right ankle. The 5-time All-Star turned his ankle pretty badly in their game against the Golden State Warriors this past Monday. In addition to Butler, All-Star big man Bam Adebayo is still out with a thumb injury, while back-up center Dewayne Dedmon is still on the shelf due to a left knee sprain. Markieff Morris has yet to play since suffering the whiplash from that infamous spat with Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. Meanwhile, Victor Oladipo still does not have a timetable for a return.
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Kyle Lowry has done a magnificent job holding down the fort as Miami's lead general this season. Meanwhile, Tyler Herro has stepped up as the Heat's second-leading scorer despite mostly coming off the bench. With Miami down two big men, rookie center Omer Yurtseven has also been quite the revelation for Erik Spoelstra's squad. The 22-year old Turkish kid has been averaging a monster 12.8 points and 15.2 rebounds since assuming the starting role the last six games.
Miami enters this game with a pretty even road record at 12-11. They are 22-17 against the spread. Obviously, Butler's status will play a huge role in the final outcome of this game. The Heat was seen having some fun in their shootaround in Phoenix. If this is a sign that he will suit up, perhaps Miami can keep this competitive.
Why the Suns Could Cover the Spread
The Suns have a major advantage heading into this contest as they are getting back to full strength once again. Deandre Ayton, JaVale McGee, and Jae Crowder have all been delisted from Phoenix's injury report after entering the league's health and safety protocols a couple of weeks ago. Obviously, playing at home is an advantage for them in itself, as the Suns hold a 17-4 record at the Footprint Arena.
Phoenix started the season as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. But getting hit with COVID put them in somewhat of a rough stretch, where they lost three of four games, beginning with a Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors. Nonetheless, the Suns have since recovered and have won three in a row. Like the Heat, they have proved resilient despite their most recent outbreak. Sophomore big man Jalen Smith played well in Ayton and McGee's absence. Bismack Biyombo also provided solid backup minutes and has since been signed for the rest of the season.
As noted, Phoenix has one of the best home records in the league, but they are just 21-17 against the spread. Ayton's return should help and he should feast down low going up against a rookie in Yurtseven. Nonetheless, keep track of Butler's status ahead of tip-off.
Final Heat-Suns Prediction and Pick
The Suns seem to be the safe bet here, considering that they are the more healthy team and have homecourt advantage. This could have been a marquee game between the two runners-up in the two most recent NBA Finals. Unfortunately, injuries and COVID have somewhat tempered the hype surrounding this matchup.
Final Heat-Suns Prediction & Pick: Suns: -9 (-108)
