It’s another day in the NBA, and tonight the Miami Heat (32-28) are facing off against the Charlotte Hornets (18-43). Both teams want to bounce back after suffering losses in their previous games. As an NBA sports handicapper, we are here to give our opinion on who will win this game based on the information available.
Injury List
Before we get into the prediction, let’s look at the injury list for both teams.
Hornets
| NAME | POS | DATE | STATUS | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theo Maledon | PG | Feb 25 | Day-To-Day | |
| Cody Martin | SF | Feb 25 | Out | Martin (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Heat. |
| P.J. Washington | PF | Feb 25 | Day-To-Day | Washington (foot) is doubtful for Saturday’s matchup against the Heat. |
Heat
| NAME | POS | DATE | STATUS | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Love | PF | Feb 25 | Day-To-Day | Love is probable to play in Saturday’s game against the Hornets due to a left knee hyperextension |
| Nikola Jovic | F | Feb 25 | Out | Jovic (back) will not play in Saturday’s game against the Hornets, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. |
| Kyle Lowry | PG | Feb 23 | Out | Head coach Erik Spoelstra indicated Thursday that Lowry (knee) would remain out indefinitely, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. |
| Omer Yurtseven | C | Feb 23 | Out | Yurtseven (ankle) is out for Friday’s game versus Milwaukee, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. |
Prediction
They will cover the spread if the Heat can find a means to score frequently. Miami ranks last in scoring and allowing, getting just 108.2 points per game. They make up for it on defense, but this team does not want to lose by 30 points, while Jimmy Butler shoots 8 of 10 from the field going into the postseason.
Ball and Terry Rozier, a dynamic backcourt that isn’t afraid to assault the basket and step back for threes, will be difficult for the Heat to contain. Hayward is also a problem when they get rolling, but the good news for the Heat is that Charlotte is one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams. They give up 118.8 points per contest, which should make Butler and Bam Adebayo ravenous. Despite not scoring last night, Kevin Love should feel more at ease now, and tonight might be the night.
Hornets vs. Heat Score Prediction
After considering all the pre-game information and factors, we predict that the Miami Heat will win this game with a score of 114-110.
Moneyline
The Heat is the moneyline favorite with a.643 winning percentage (27-15), while the Hornets have a.255 winning percentage (12-35).
Against The Spread
In comparison to the Hornets (25-33-3), the Heat (21-36-3 ATS) have covered the spread 35% of the time this year. When Charlotte is a 5.5-point opponent or more, the spread is covered 42.9% of the time. This is more frequent than Miami winning as a favorite of at least 5.5 percent (18.8%).
OVER/UNDER
This season, the over/under has been exceeded by Miami and its competitors 45% of the time (27 out of 60). However, that is less frequently than Charlotte, and its rivals have done (29 out of 61).
Conclusion
In conclusion, our prediction for tonight’s game is that the Miami Heat will win with a 114-110. While the Hornets will put up a fight, the Heat’s superior defense and ability to score will ultimately give them the edge. We’ll have to wait and see if our prediction comes true.
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