Kings vs Heat NBA Handicapping
With a six-game lead over their nearest rivals and only 28 games left, about the only thing that could stop the Miami Heat from finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference is an inopportune (wince here) ACL injury.
Sacramento Kings (19-38) at Miami Heat (40-14)
Tuesday, Feb. 26
American Airlines Arena, Miami
7:30 p.m. EST
Spread – Heat -15.5 at Bovada
O/U – 210.5
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The Heat are playing at such a high level and have too many remaining games against cupcakes for the Pacers (7 back in the loss column) or Knicks (6 back) to have any realistic chance of completely closing the gap.
With things wrapped up pretty tight, the Heat just need to keep their house in order, make sure LeBron James is happy (30-point nights and occasional triple-doubles will do that) and get the gang rested and ready for whatever mediocre team earns the right to be eliminated by them in the first round of the playoffs. Right now that team looks like the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Miami takes an 11-game winning streak into tonight’s game at home against the Sacramento Kings, who this time next year will most likely be playing their home games in Seattle. When the Kings walk off the court about 10 tonight, they will be lugging a 6-game losing streak as they play out the string in yet another forgettable season.
The Kings/Sonics, who have been in perpetual rebuilding mode for a decade (or ever since 2002, when the refs screwed them in that playoff loss to the Lakers) while they wait for their own LeBron James to show up, do have some talent.
DeMarcus Cousins is a legit 17/10 big who has big-time immaturity issues and leads the NBA in technical fouls. [ad-6571516] The Kings resisted the urge to deal away Cousins on several occasions this season, and for better or worse he’ll be the team’s centerpiece when it starts over in Seattle next season. Sacramento also decided to hang on to two-guard Tyreke Evans, who was rumored headed to Boston in a trade deadline deal but survived.
As the Kings play out the string in what appears to be their final month and a half in Sacramento, they can take a little solace in the fact that they are not the worst team in the league. Of course, that won’t do them much good tonight in Miami.
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If Christians and lions aren’t you’re thing, perhaps a play on the O/U would pique your interest. The number (210.5) is heavy, but the Heat are playing so well offensively (triple figures in 8 of last 9, that 86-67 tractor pull in Chicago the exception) and the Kings are so atrocious defensively that an over play looks more than appetizing.
Sacramento, in fact, is 32-22-2 over this season, and in their last 7 games opponents have had little trouble putting fat point totals on the boards.
The Kings are next-to-last in the league in scoring defense and have trouble in transition. Lamb chop, meet wolf.
