The Brooklyn Nets continue their pursuit of the top spot in the Eastern Conference when they open a three-game road trip with a visit to the skidding Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon. The Nets (38-18) have alternated wins and losses in their last four games but can climb back into a tie with conference-leading Philadelphia with a victory Sunday. The Heat (28-28) are heading in the wrong direction and could be staring at a spot in the play-in tournament after losing three in a row and 10 of their last 16 games to tumble into seventh place in the East. James Harden (hamstring) is out for Brooklyn.
Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at AmericanAirlines Arena. The latest Nets vs. Heat odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Brooklyn as a three-point favorite, while the over-under is 223 total points. Before finalizing any Heat vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it has returned over $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,100 on its top-rated picks this season, and dating back to last year, it entered Week 17 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 95-59 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Heat. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Heat vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Heat spread: Nets -3
- Nets vs. Heat over-under: 223 points
- Nets vs. Heat money line: Nets -150, Heat +130
- BKN: The Nets rank sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.92)
- MIA: Heat G Victor Oladipo (knee) will miss his fifth straight game
Why the Nets can cover
Although Miami owns the league's fourth-best scoring defense at 107.7 points per game, Brooklyn counters with the NBA's best shooting percentage at 49.5 and the No. 2 scoring offense (119.2). Top scorer Kevin Durant has shot better than 50 percent in three of the four games since returning from a lengthy injury (hamstring) absence and scored a combined 56 points in his last two. He scored 51 points in the back-to-back wins over the Heat in January.
Kyrie Irving has eclipsed 30 points six times in the last 14 games, including three 40-point performances. And while he had a quiet game in Friday's victory over Charlotte, Joe Harris and Landry Shamet filled the offensive void by combining for 46 points and knocking down six 3-pointers apiece. Shamet is shooting 50 percent from long range (21 of 42) in six games this month, while Harris hit 10 of 20 3-pointers vs. Miami in January.
Why the Heat can cover
Miami was missing star forward Jimmy Butler as well as third-leading scorer Tyler Herro in the first two matchups against the Nets in January. Butler nearly had a triple-double in Friday's loss at Minnesota, posting 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to go along with three steals. Butler, who is averaging a team-best 21.4 points, was a late addition to the injury report Saturday night and is questionable due to a sprained right ankle.
If Butler is held out, it will put more of an offensive burden on All-Star center Bam Adebayo, who had his way inside with the Nets in the previous two meetings. Miami's second-leading scorer, Adebayo erupted for a career-best 41 points and followed it up with a double-double (26 points, 10 rebounds) vs. Brooklyn. Goran Dragic, who ended a 3-point slump by hitting 3 of 5 Friday, scored 40 points in the last two meetings vs. the Nets.
How to make Heat vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 231 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Heat vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 95-59 roll on NBA picks.
