Oklahoma City Thunder vs Miami Heat Prediction
| Game Time | 8:00 pm EST |
| Oklahoma City Thunder Line | -1.5 |
| Miami Heat Line | +1.5 |
| Total | 216 |
| TV: | NBA TV |
Below is a detailed analysis for Oklahoma City Thunder vs Miami Heat game.
PREGAME WARM-UP:
Two teams coming off losses that ended their previous lengthy winning streak face off in this matchup, when the Miami Heat are hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Heat are coming off an unexpected loss in Detroit that ended their previous four-game winning streak. Miami is back home now, where they are playing their best basketball of the season. The Thunder are on the second leg of a back-to-back, after losing the NBA Cup Final to the Bucks. OKC saw a five-game winning streak getting snapped, and are looking to bounce back tonight.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Miami Heat Prediction
Miami Heat Injury Report: Pelle Larson is day-to-day
Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report: Osmani Dieng, Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, Nikola Topic, Alex Ducas, Adam Flager are out.
Miami Heat Form and Trends
The Heat have a 13-11 record this season and are sitting on the 6th place of the East. Miami is 11-13 against the spread and 14-10 in over/under. The Heat have an 8-4 home record, but are 6-6 against the spread, with a +6.5-point differential. The Heat are 4-1 in their last 5 home games, but 4-6 against the spread in their last 10. Over is 4-1 in their last 5 games.
Miami is coming off a 124-125 loss in Detroit, as they allowed the Pistons to shoot with 50% from downtown, while the shot worse from the field (45% to 49%). Six of the nine Miami players that touched the floor scored double digits, led by Jimmy Butler with 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists for a monster triple double.
Tyler Herro leads Miami in scoring with an average of 24.1 points, adding 5.3 rebounds and4.8 assists. Jimmy Butler adds 19.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5 assists.
Oklahoma City Thunder Recent Form and Trends
The Oklahoma City Thunder has 20-5 record this season and are sitting in the first place of the West. The Thunder are 16-7-2 against the spread and 11-14 in over/under. OKC has a 9-3 road record and are 8-4 against the spread, with a +11.6-point differential. Oklahoma City is 9-1 in their last 10 games, and 6-1 against the spread in their last 7. Under is 3-1 in their last 4 games.
The Thunder are coming off a 111-96 win over Houston, as they held the Rockets into just 36% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc. Four of five OKC’s starters had 19+ points, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 32, adding 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
Shai leads the Thunder both in scoring with 30.3 points, and in assists made with 6.3, adding 5.5 rebounds per game. Jalen Williams adds 21.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5 assists per game.
Statistical Breakdown
Offensively, the Heat are averaging 112.8 points per game, which is 15th in the league. Miami shoots with 45.3% from the field (23rd), and with 37.9% from beyond the arc (8th). Defensively, they allow 109.7 points per game, which ranks 6th in the NBA.
Offensively, the Thunder are scoring 115.6 points per game, ranking 10th in the league. They shoot 46.5% from the field (12th) and 35.1% from beyond the arc (19th). Defensively, they are the best team in the NBA, allowing 103.5 points per game.
The Heat are 6-2 in their last 8 meetings against the Thunder, but the Thunder won both meetings last season, at home by 107-100 and on the road by 128-120. OKC is 4-1 against the spread in their last 5 meetings. Under is 5-3 in their last 8 meetings.
Prediction
In this Oklahoma City Thunder vs Miami Heat Prediction, the Thunder are coming as -1.5 road favorites. This will be OKC’s third straight road game and the second leg of a back-to-back, as they played two NBA Cup games in Las Vegas, and now have to travel to Miami, so this is a tough scheduling spot. Both teams are playing excellent defense this season, as they rank on the top-6 of the NBA in points allowed, and all of three OKC’s games in the NBA Cup were low scoring ones. The Heat’s offense might be better lately, but they are just 15th in points scored in the season, and 23rd in field goal percentage. I expect a low scoring affair, so take the under the point total. Nick’s Pick: Under 216
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