Free NBA Pick: Pacers vs. Heat NBA Odds
Looking for Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Pacers taking on the Heat on Tuesday, December 21st, 2021 at FTX Arena. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Pacers Heat matchup.
2021 NBA Handicapping
(13-18) Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat (18-13)
Date: Tuesday, December 21st
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Venue: FTX Arena, Miami, Florida
NBA Moneyline Odds: Pacers| Heat (Bet Now!) Moneyline is off as of posting
NBA Betting Odds: EVEN
NBA Betting Total: 208.5
Tuesday, December 21st, finds the Indiana Pacers facing the Miami Heat in their third and final meeting of this season. Each team has won once with the Pacers winning October 23rd (102-91) and the Heat taking the December 3rd match (113-104).
Miami last played Sunday in a tough 90-100 loss to the Pistons while Indiana has been off since Thursday following 122-113 victory also versus the Pistons.
Last season the clubs played three times with the Pacers winning two of the three contests. The Pacers hold the all-time record with 70 wins in 122 matches versus the Heat.
Indiana Pacers
Winners of four of their last six games the Pacers were seemingly buoyed by the article leaking intentions of the franchise to trade some or all of Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis, and Myles Turner.
Each of the trio has posted strong efforts in the recent six-game stretch. With Malcolm Brogdon out nursing a sore Achilles, it was LeVert who stepped up and had a big night scoring 31 points adding five assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a block.
Turner offered a full effort with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks while Sabonis flirted with a double-double collecting 12 points and nine rebounds.
Justin Holiday (17), Chris Duarte (15), and Jeremy Lamb (11) were the other double-figure contributors.
In the four recent victories, the Pacers are averaging 116.5 points per game while holding opponents to 104.5 points.
The question is have the Pacers truly turned a corner or are they capitalizing on teams who are either lower-seeds or struggling (Wizards, Knicks, Mavericks, Pistons)? The two losses were against elite opponents (Warriors, Bucks) so it’s a fair question.
Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles) has been upgraded to probable while TJ McConnell (wrist) and TJ Warren (foot) are out indefinitely.
Miami Heat
Injuries can be brutal as the Heat are all too familiar with. Already knowing Bam Adebayo would miss up to six weeks following thumb surgery the loss of Jimmy Butler has highlighted how precarious holding top seeds can be.
Butler has missed 10 of the last 11 Heat games with an injured (then re-injured) tailbone and won’t play Tuesday. That means Kyle Lowry and the youngsters will be trying to keep Miami afloat.
Lowry delivered a double-double of 19 points and 10 assists although he shot the ball poorly he bolstered his point total with 11 trips (16 attempts). Max Strus led the Heat in scoring with 24 points while Dewayne Dedmon pitched in 11 as the only other double-figure scorer.
More concerning for Miami was PJ Tucker going down with a knee injury making the already thin frontcourt thinner. Miami could get a shot in the arm if the trio of Tyler Herro (quad), Caleb Martin (health and safety), Marcus Garrett (eye) return – they’re all listed as questionable.
Butler (tailbone) and Tucker (knee) are definitely out while Adebayo (thumb) is out 4 to 6 weeks plus Markieff Morris (neck) and Victor Oladipo (knee) are out indefinitely.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Indiana’s last 12 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami’s last 7 games.
- The Pacers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games.
- The Heat are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games.
Free Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat NBA Prediction:
Miami limps into this match with a decidedly thin frontcourt prepared to face bigs in Sabonis and Turner. Much will depend on whether players return and especially Herro as the Heat could use his scoring punch.
Indiana averaged 102.4 points in their last six losses versus 116 points in their last five wins. So, the obvious key for Miami is to bring aggressive defense.
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