Heat vs. Cavaliers Predictions, Picks & Odds: NBA on ESPN, Wednesday 3/5
Don’t look now, but tonight’s eight-game NBA slate features a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview with the Cleveland Cavaliers hosting the Miami Heat. It’s also the first game of tonight’s doubleheader on ESPN, so of course, we have you covered with our top Heat vs. Cavaliers predictions.
Even if you end up having your own Heat vs. Cavaliers picks after going through everything, you’ll also be able to check out a guaranteed $150 DraftKings Sportsbook sign up bonus!
Heat vs. Cavaliers Predictions for NBA on ESPN, 3/5
Despite all the drama in South Beach this season, the Heat have still been hot enough that they have their eyes set on a true playoff spot to avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether. Speaking of being hot, that’s what the Cavs have been all season, as they’re in the driver’s seat to secure the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
As for tonight, this featured ESPN matchup has the Cavs on the second night of a back-to-back, but to no one’s surprise, they’re still the clear favorites at home according to the Heat vs. Cavaliers odds. It’s also the third meeting between these teams, and interestingly enough, Miami was able to hand Cleveland one of their few losses this season.
The Cavs answered back in the most recent matchup with Heat in a crushing 20-point victory, making tonight a rubber match of sorts. While it’s difficult to doubt Cleveland winning this game, the best bet from our Heat vs. Cavaliers predictions is going to focus on a different market.
Miami Heat: Banking On Bam
With Jimmy Butler no longer in the mix in South Beach, the primary responsibility falls to guys like Bam Adebayo, who has been just as pivotal for the franchise as a whole. In fact, his 19-point, 15-rebound performance on Monday night set a franchise record.
It was his 222nd double-double, which is the most in Miami history. Along with five players scoring 15+ points, it was enough to get the Heat past the Washington Wizards. Of course, the Cavs are a massive step up from the Wiz, but when the Heat were able to beat Cleveland earlier this year, it was yet another double-double from Bam that led the way.
Cleveland Cavaliers: History On Their Side
While the Heat are having an individual player set franchise records, the Cavs are doing the same, but on a team level. Just about every fan has seen their success this season, and their win streak just extended to 11 games last night.
In terms of history being on their side, Cleveland recently became just the 12th team in NBA history to win 50 of their first 60 games. That’s already an incredible feat, but it’s even more important in terms of their ultimate goal. Of the 11 teams prior to these Cavs, six of them won the NBA Finals, which is exactly what Cleveland fans want to hear.
Heat vs. Cavaliers Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Once again, seeing Cleveland as clear favorites inside Rocket Arena comes as no shock, and you can see the latest Heat vs. Cavaliers odds at DraftKings Sportsbook here:
- Point Spread: Miami Heat +11 (-110) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers -11 (-110)
- Money Line: Miami Heat (+440) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (-600)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 227 (-110) vs. Under 227 (-110)
Heat vs. Cavaliers Best Bet: Over 227 Points (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Again, even with the Cavs on the second night of a back-to-back, it’s difficult to predict anything but a Cleveland win. However, we’d prefer not to sweat out a bet on the point spread, which is why the focus of our Heat vs. Cavaliers predictions is on the total.
In that regard, we’re expecting a higher-scoring game than the odds would suggest. There’s no doubt that the Heat have been a team that correlates to lower-scoring games, but of course, oddsmakers know that as well. Since totals for their game are often decreased because of that fact, Miami is actually a top-10 team this season in terms of record for overs.
Better yet, the Cavs are the absolute best! Not only do they have an incredible overall record, but they also have the best record for over bettors this season. Along with their overall scoring prowess is their pace, which is the sixth-fastest in the NBA.
As if all that wasn’t enough yet, both meetings between these teams also led to games with points scored more than the lines anticipated. Although they split the matchups in terms of win/loss, they both went over the total, and quite convincingly. They averaged going over the total by nearly 10 points, only making us more confident in this approach.
Tack on some tired Cleveland legs after playing just last night, and we’re locked in the best bet from our Heat vs. Cavaliers predictions on the over 227 points (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook).
Heat vs. Cavaliers Injury Report & Latest News
To make sure that you have everything you need to lock in the best Heat vs. Cavaliers picks, you also need the latest injury news and updates. Only Evan Mobley was out for Cleveland’s game last night against the Bulls, while Miami has a laundry list of guys missing:
- Nikola Jovic, Kel’el Ware, Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez
Along with Davion Mitchell being listed as day-to-day, seeing the Heat vs. Cavaliers odds so heavily favoring Cleveland makes even more sense.
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Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.