NBA Handicapping Predictions – Heat vs Pacers
The Heat have beaten the Pacers 5 straight times, but they are coming off their worst loss of the season and Indiana is coming off a win.
Venue/ Stadium: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Time/Date: 7 PM EST Monday, March 26, 2012
NCAA Odds From: Bovada
Moneyline: OFF
Spread (ATS): Heat -3
Over/Under: 193
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Preview
The Heat have played great D in their dominance of the Pacers this season and Indiana has a great chance to snap their losing streak to Miami if the Heat fail to play D like they did in their recent blowout loss.
NBA lines have the Heat as 3-point road favorites with a total of 193.
In their last games the Heat lost to the Oklahoma Thunder 103-87 while the Pacers routed the Milwaukee Bucks 125-104.
This season the Heat are 23-24 ATS with an O/U record of 19-26-2 and the Pacers are 22-25 ATS with an O/U record of 22-23-2.
In their loss to the Thunder the Heat allowed OKC to shoot almost 53% from the field and LeBron James and Dwyane Wade did combine for 39 points, but they committed 10 turnovers.
The Pacers have to figure out how to stop James, who is averaging 30.2 ppg and 7.4 assists per game in Miami’s 5-game streak over the Pacers. It is also key that the Pacers hit the boards hard and not allow James and Bosh to dominate the glass like they have against Indy lately. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Indiana leading scorer Danny Granger (17.9 ppg) has really struggled against the Heat and their solid defense and 2nd leading scorer C Roy Hibbert (13.1 ppg) must play well since the Heat lack a legit big man.
F Tyler Hansbrough (9.5 ppg) took a hit to the face in the win over the Bucks and he is questionable for tonight’s game.
The Pacers have the league’s 6th ranked defense, but if they cannot find a way to keep the Big 3 of James, Wade, and Bosh from having big games they will be in trouble. Indiana only ranks 16th in the league in scoring, but they blew up for 125 points in the win over the Bucks and in 3 of their last 4 games they have scored more than 100 ppg.
In some betting trends for this Eastern Conference match up the Heat are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games, 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record, and they have an Under record of 5-0 in their last 5 games.
The Pacers are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 home games, 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record, and they have an Over record of 5-2 in their last 7 games.
Jason’s Pick: The Heat are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against the Pacers in Indiana. The Pacers simply do not match up well with the Heat and with Miami getting schooled in their last game they will come out and play well, win this game, and cover the spread.
