The Miami Heat watched its two superstars leave over the past two years, and unsurprisingly, so have a lot of wins. WIthout LeBron James and Dwyane Wade leading the way, the Heat is one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference.
It will aim to turn that around in a matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Indiana is fighting for a playoff berth and could use any win it can pick up this season. This is a crucial road game that’s a winnable one for the Pacers.
Don't miss the hardwood action from AmericanAirlines Arena at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 14, 2016. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN.
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Odds Analysis
The Heat are 7-17 straight up and 11-13 against the spread this season. Miami hasn’t done very well covering at home this season, doing so only three times in 10 attempts.
The Pacers are 12-12 straight up and 10-14 against the spread. Indiana has covered only three times in 11 road matchups.
Player to Watch
Paul George – The veteran guard has been playing solid for the Pacers since returning from injury in early December. In Indiana’s 118-111 win over Portland on December 10th, George put up a season-high 37 points which included a run of 13 straight points in the fourth quarter.
The 26-year-old is averaging 21.8 points a game and two steals. George suffered a horrific leg injury a couple summers ago but has bounced back nicely and has re-established himself as one of the rising stars in the league.
He will be looking to build upon his performance as the team takes on the Heat this week. Miami could have trouble slowing him down as George has shown the ability to light up any number of opponents who try to corral him.
Key Stat
1-5. That’s Miami’s record so far in the month of December. The team will look turn things around this week, taking on the Wizards on Monday before this showdown with the Pacers mid-week.
Most of Miami’s games this month have been on the road, and the team’s only victory in December was against the Jazz on December 1st where the Heat won by a point. This week marks the beginning of a six-game homestand and the team and it will hope for better results inside AmericanAirlines Arena.
The Heat’s big issue has been scoring, as its 96.8 points per game average is among the worst in the NBA this season. Home teams always have the advantage, so while the Pacers have the superior record, this one could be quite competitive.
Free NBA ATS Pick
Miami hopes to get a big game from Hassan Whiteside, who continues to improve and could be on this way to an All-Star season. Whiteside is averaging 17.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per contest.
The Pacers have done a poor job of stopping opponents this season, giving up more than 107 points per game, which is the second-worst mark in the East and one of the worst defenses in the NBA.
Whiteside and point guard Goran Dragic could have big games, while George will try to combat them with a solid performance of his own.
While the Pacers are a bit more talented overall, it’s not as big of a gap as their records would indicate. The fact that the Heat has the home court advantage is enough to tilt this one in their favor.
Expect a big game from Whiteside to lead the way in a close win over Indiana. While the Heat may not be in playoff contention, they will look to identify the building blocks this season for their team moving forward.
NBA Odds: Heat 104, Pacers 100
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