A cross-conference tilt has the Dallas Mavericks (34-28) hosting the Miami Heat (35-26) on Thursday evening. This is the first matchup of the season between those foes, and they split the season series 1-1 during the 2022-23 campaign. Dallas is sixth in the NBA in scoring offense (118.7), while Miami is ninth in the league in points allowed (109.9). Tyler Herro (foot) is out for Miami.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The Mavs are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Heat vs. Mavericks odds, per SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points is 229. Before making any Mavericks vs. Heat picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 20 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 64-40 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Heat vs. Mavericks. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Mavericks vs. Heat:
- Heat vs. Mavericks spread: Dallas -4.5
- Heat vs. Mavericks over/under: 229 points
- Heat vs. Mavericks money line: Dallas -186, Miami +155
- MIA: The Heat are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games
- DAL: The Mavs are 2-4 ATS in their last six games
- Heat vs. Mavericks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Mavericks can cover
Guard Kyrie Irving is a magician with the ball in his hands. Irving can break down the defense with no hesitation, is an acrobatic finisher in the lane, and also has a consistent jumper. He racks up 25.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and five assists per contest. On Mar. 3, Irving had 28 points and four assists.
Guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is a solid role player who has a smooth jumper but owns the ability to put the ball on the deck and attack the lane. The Michigan product averages 16.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. On Feb. 28 against the Raptors, he supplied 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Heat can cover
Forward Jimmy Butler can easily flip a switch to become a menace on the court. The six-time NBA All-Star averages 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per contest. He's averaging 31.5 points per game over his last two contests. In the March 2 win over the Jazz, Butler stuffed the stat sheet with 37 points and seven assists.
Center Bam Adebayo plays with high energy on both ends of the floor. Adebayo can handle the rock and defend multiple positions at an elite level. The 26-year-old logs 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Additionally, he's compiled 31 double-doubles this season. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Mavericks vs. Heat picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 223 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Heat vs. Mavericks, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Mavericks vs. Heat spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 64-40 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
