We're set to bring you another prediction and pick for this next matchup in the NBA's Eastern Conference as the season begins to pick up steam. The Indiana Pacers (9-8) will meet with the Miami Heat (11-8) as the teams meet for back-to-back contests. Miami won the first meeting 142-132. Check out our NBA odds series for our Pacers-Heat prediction and pick.
The Indiana Pacers are currently second in the Central Division and they'll be chasing the Milwaukee Bucks at the top of this race throughout the season. They've split their last 10 games at 5-5 and they're coming into this one off two straight losses. They're hoping to get revenge on this Heat team a second time around.
The Miami Heat are second in the Southeast and they'll be coming into this game following their last win over Indiana. Prior to that, the Heat had lost three-straight games to tough Eastern Conference competition. They've been a streaky team all season, so they're looking to get the best of this Pacers team again and mount another winning run.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pacers-Heat Odds
Indiana Pacers: +3.5 (-110)
Miami Heat: -3.5 (-110)
Over: 240.5 (-110)
Under: 240.5 (-110)
How to Watch Pacers vs. Heat
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports Sun, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
The Pacers were outworked in their last game against the Heat and they failed to get anything going from beyond the arc with 25% shooting. They also fell behind in the rebounding department as they couldn't match the hustle of the Heat defense. Still, the Pacers managed to score 132 themselves and it's clear they can hang in with any team if it turns into a high-paced shootout. If they can tighten things up on the defensive end and force clutch stops down the stretch, they'd see a lot of their close losses turn into wins.
Tyrese Haliburton is slowly making the transition to a superstar in this league and the Pacers need to do everything to build their offense around him. He's got a special gift in passing the ball and has the ability to lead the league in assists – it's crucial that his teammates stay active without the ball and free themselves up so Haliburton can find them. He's been carrying the bulk of the scoring as well and had 44 his last time out, so he'd be relieved to see some other players pick up the scoring slack.
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
The Heat have been up-and-down over the last 10 games, but they snapped a three-game skid with their impressive win over the Pacers. It marked their first win over Indiana on the season and Jimmy Butler went to work with 36 points and 20 attempts from the charity stripe. He also caused the Pacers to go deeper into their bench and conserve some of their starters with foul trouble. The Heat also out-rebounded the Pacers 48-34 and played a much more physical game down low. Expect them to have the same bully-ball type of approach as they try and work the ball inside.
It took until the fourth quarter for Miami to get hot in their last game, but they got it done nonetheless and erupted for 45 total points. Much of that was due to Jimmy Butler attacking the rim, but the Heat stood tall on the defensive end when it mattered at the end of the game. They'll be confident this time around as favorites and have a 5-2 record at home this year.
Final Pacers-Heat Prediction & Pick
This should be another fun meeting between these two teams and I expect the scoring totals to comes down a bit from what they were the first time around. Both of these teams will be looking to lock-in on defense and it's unlikely the Miami Heat have another 45-point quarter. Still, both offenses are extremely potent and can erupt at any time for a lopsided run. It's worth noting that Jimmy Butler is on the injury report, but listed as ‘probable' to play.
I expect the Pacer to play much better this time around as they're more confident in their defense. Tyrese Haliburton is ‘questionable', so obviously their success hinges on him playing tonight. With Bam Adebayo out for the Heat, I expect the Pacers to see more success down low and their bench to step up if Haliburton is unable to go. For our prediction, let's go with the Indiana Pacers to cover this spread as road underdogs.
Final Pacers-Heat Prediction & Pick: Indiana Pacers +3.5 (-110)
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