Don't look now, but an epic inter-league showdown is on tap this Friday as the Miami Heat travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Dallas Mavericks. Join us for our NBA odds series where our Heat-Mavericks prediction and pick will be revealed.
Certainly finding their stride as of late, Miami has been on an absolute tear of late after disposing of the Pelicans in dominating fashion by a score of 124-98. In addition, the Heat have only lost once in their previous five games and sit all alone on top of the throne within the Southeast Division Standings.
Unlike the Heat, Fresh off another disheartening defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, the Mavericks have lost six of their last eight games and are trending downward after a fairly strong start to the season. At the moment, Dallas sits at 24-22 and are the fifth-seed in the West.
Here are the Heat-Mavericks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Heat-Mavericks Odds
Miami Heat: -1.5 (-110)
Dallas Mavericks: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 218.5 (-110)
Under: 218.5 (-110)
How To Watch Heat vs. Mavericks
TV: Bally Sports Southwest/Bally Sports Sun
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:30 ET/4:30 PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
After putting on an absolute show the last time the Heat took the floor, Miami will be entering Friday night's action with some positive momentum under their belts.
In order for Miami to improve upon their 19-25 record ATS, expect superstar Jimmy butler to continue to play aggressively on his way to the charity stripe. Using a surplus of pump fakes that get his defenders up in the air and provide himself with the perfect opportunity to get fouled, Butler remains one of the top players in the league when it comes to generating contact on his shot attempts. As it stands, Butler leads Miami with 7.9 free-throw attempts per game and will need to use this same combative playing style to help his squad come out on top.
Not to mention, but it will end up being extremely important for the Heat to also get guys like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Hero involved early as the pair have combined to average 42 points per game as they continue to be stellar scoring options behind Jimmy Butler. While Herro can definitely light it top from beyond the arc, expect Adebayo to gain control of the paint down low both offensively and defensively against a Mavs team that could be missing their top center in Christian Wood due to a fractured thumb.
Of course, Miami strives themselves on playing suffocating defense out on the hardwood which has led the team to the second-fewest points allowed in the entire league. Whether it's getting out and defending the perimeter or being stout in the paint, the Heat certainly can make offenses sweat when it comes to putting the ball in the hoop.
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
It didn't seem long ago that Dallas was a well-oiled machine that couldn't stop winning, but now they find themselves reeling at the start of the second half of the regular season scheduled slate.
Without a doubt, finding ways to win has been a struggle, but whenever you happen to possess the top-overall player on the court, anything can go your way. Alas, the remarkable Luka Doncic could prove to be a thorn in Miami's side as he recently is coming off a 30-point outing in which he also was able to connect on 83% of his free-throws while dishing out eight assists to his teammates. When taking a closer look, it appears that Doncic has slightly been off in comparison to his other-worldly self that usually sees him record triple-doubles on the daily, but don't be flabbergasted if the 23-year-old Slovenian puts on a show this evening. In fact, Doncic leads the entire league in scoring at 33.7 PPG and has been consistently included in MVP talks this season.
Most importantly, Dallas has to find a way to give better efforts on the defensive side of the floor. At first glance, this has been the one area of the Mavs' game that has taken a backseat recently. As a whole, Dallas is only surrendering 112.7 PPG which currently serves as the 13th-fewest in the NBA, but they have given up at least 130 points in three consecutive outings en route to defeat. Even if this offense is firing on all cylinders, it won't matter if Dallas continues to show that they do not have what it takes to defend the basket consistently.
Final Heat-Mavericks Prediction & Pick
After going 11-4 in December, Dallas has come down to earth in January with a 3-6 record overall. Even with this game taking place at home, it is hard to put your trust in this banged-up Mavericks squad that is going up against a red-hot Miami Heat crew.
Final Heat-Mavericks Prediction & Pick: Heat -1.5 (-110)
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