It has been a bumpy season for the defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers. They are going to head into the playoffs no better than a No. 3 seed and are not among the top title contenders based on their overall body of work. However, Cleveland has turned it up lately and is hoping to peak at the right time in order to make a run at another NBA Finals appearance.
The Cavs will look to remain hot when they face the Miami Heat next time out. Miami has the inferior record but is playing at home, so this one should be a competitive matchup and the spread won’t be too large. The Cavaliers are aiming to hold off a couple of other teams for the third spot in the standings so this game is critical.
The Heat could also easily move up or down from the No. 7 seed down the stretch and a win here would be a big help. This should be a fun game to watch in NBA basketball betting lines.
Don't miss the hardwood action from American Airlines Arena at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Tuesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Cavaliers are 44-29 straight up and 26-46-1 against the spread. Cleveland has covered in 16 of 37 attempts on the road. The Cavs are 15-41-1 against the spread as the favorite.
The Heat is 39-34 straight up and 37-30-6 against the spread. Miami has gone 14-17-4 against the spread at home this season. The Heat is 21-13-3 attempting to cover as the underdog.
Coaching Situation
The Cavaliers are currently without coach Tyronn Lue as he deals with health issues. The team has been playing well without him, winning all four games since his leave of absence. Larry Drew has taken over as the interim coach and has brought stability during a turbulent time.
Lue could be back for this game against Miami although that is still up in the air. The Cavaliers have not gone into a tailspin without him, which should allow Lue to stay away until he feels 100 percent. Cleveland has dealt with injuries, a bunch of trades and now a coaching issue during the 2017-18 season.
It has certainly been a less-than-ideal path but the Cavs are playing well at this stage and hope to keep it going with or without Lue in this one.
Player To Watch
Dwyane Wade -- The Miami guard began the season with the Cavaliers but did not have a big impact with LeBron James and other stars commanding the ball the majority of the time. Both sides could tell the marriage wasn’t working, so Wade was sent back to his original team, the Heat, where he figures to finish out his career.
Wade has come off the bench in his 13 games with the Heat. He is averaging 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and almost a steal per game. He recently missed five games with a hamstring injury but should be good to go for this one unless he suffers a setback.
Wade is past his physical peak but would love to play well against his old pal James. It would be a big help in Miami’s quest to capture a critical victory.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Cavaliers have looked good of late but this team is too inconsistent to trust on the road. LeBron James is playing really well and the return of Kevin Love has been a big boost. However, the Heat has a solid team and the home court advantage.
Take Miami to claim this victory in NBA basketball odds. It seems likely the spread is going to be low, in favor of either the Cavs or the Heat depending on how the oddsmakers see this one. Take Miami to cover in NBA betting lines.
NBA Odds: Heat 106, Cavaliers 103
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