The Wizards are visiting Miami after four consecutive home games, while the Heat are hoping to return to winning ways following a defeat to the Pistons. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
Washington Wizards at Miami Heat
Spread: Miami Heat -1.5 (-105) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: Over/Under 210.5 points (-110)
The Wizards are looking for the fourth win in a row
The Washington Wizards played the previous four matches at home and recorded three consecutive victories, most recently against the Sacramento Kings, 110:92. Thanks to that decisive run, the Wizards are now in the third position in the East with the 8-5 record, while Miami is two wins behind the divisional rival, and Washington is eager to snap the five-game losing streak against the Heat.
The Wizards weren’t impressive in the start of the game with the Kings as they lost the opening quarter, but they improved sine and won the remaining periods to secure a convincing victory. Washington was excellent (51.8%) from the field and had 16 rebounds more than Sacramento, while the Wizards also recorded 30 assists opposite to the Kings’ 19. John Wall led Washington with 21 points, nine dimes, Marcin Gortat added 18 points and seven boards, while Mike Scott scored a season-high 15 points, along with five rebounds off the bench. Otto Porter contributed with 15 points and seven boards, while Kelly Oubre posted 12 points, eight rebounds, and two steals. Bradley Beal had just 14 points, but added seven boards and seven assists, and could have a big game in a matchup with Dion Waiters on Wednesday. Beal is averaging 23.8 ppg so far, and despite scoring only 33 in the previous two displays, he should respond with 20+ performance here. The clash between two point guards John Wall and Goran Dragic is certainly the most intriguing one, but Gortat’s battle with Hassan Whiteside could also play a significant part and affect the outcome. The Polish international bounced back after three poor displays, but facing Whiteside is never easy, and he must repeat the similar performance and not let Hassan dominate the paint, which is a hard thing to do.
Scott Brooks has almost entire roster healthy and ready to go as only Shelvin Mack cannot feature due to Achilles tendon injury. Mack’s absence is not that relevant as Washington has other players to fill his role such as Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks, and Tomas Satoransky. The Wizards are scoring 111.38 points per contest on average (2nd in the NBA), while they are allowing 105.92 points in return (18th in the NBA). The offensive efficiency is Washington’s most significant asset as they scored 110+ points in the previous three games, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Wizards go over 110 here.
Place: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 15th, 2017, 7:30 PM ET
TV Coverage: FOX SPORTS SUN, NBCSWA
The Heat return home following a six-game road trip
The Miami Heat recorded three wins and three losses on their recent road trip, and it’s fair to say that they should be satisfied with that. Their two-game winning run ended in Detroit against the Pistons, who were better by nine points, 112:103, but Miami has an excellent record with the Wizards lately, and they will try to extend that positive streak.
The Heat led through the first two quarters in Motown, scoring 58 points, but the hosts responded with the improved defense after the interval, limiting Miami to 45 points in the second half. Erik Spoelstra’s team had six more steals than the Pistons (8-2) and committed just nine turnovers, but were heavily out jumped as Detroit won the battle of the boards (54-39). Hassan Whiteside led the Heat with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, along with game-high two blocks. That was Hassan’s third double-double in the previous five games, and as long as he stays healthy, we can expect Whiteside to continue with dominating performances. Goran Dragic followed him with 18 points, game-high seven dishes, and four boards, Dion Waiters posted 16 points, five assists, four boards, and game-high three thefts. Josh Richardson scored 15 points with five rebounds, four dimes, while James Johnson added ten points off the bench. There are several interesting matchups on this one, but the battle between Dragic and Wall must be the highlight of the tilt. The Slovenian point guard failed to score more than 18 points in the last two outings and is not going to be comfortable against one of the best defending guards in the league, so Dragon’s offensive contribution will play a crucial part here. Waiters should step in if Dragic doesn’t perform well, while Whiteside will likely own the paint against Gortat.
Erik Spoelstra cannot count on Okaro White who is sidelined with a left leg injury and will miss the fourth match in a row, and Rodney McGruder is still out and is a big question whether he’ll return to the floor in this campaign. The Heat are scoring 101.92 points per contest on average (25th in the NBA), while they are allowing 103.98 points in return (9th in the NBA). Although their defense is particularly good this season, Miami will have problems to contain the high-flying Wizards, who are red-hot recently, so I believe they can only win this game if they limit the visitors to under 110 points.
Washington Wizards at Miami Heat Trends & Prediction
The Wizards are 7-6 against the spread (4-1 away), while they are 5-8 on over/under (1-4 away), and even though I am not brave enough to go with Washington on this one, I am pretty sure they will have another efficient game. The Heat defense did concede 117 and 125 points against the Spurs and Wolves, respectively, in two out of the previous four home matches, so I think Washington can score at least 110.
The Heat are 4-7-2 against the spread (0-4-2 home), while they are 6-6-1 on over/under (3-3 home), so it is clear that playing on spread here is not the smartest move, as there are no clear favorites and it could go either way. I respect the tradition and Miami have been better against the Wizards in the last couple of years so that I will go with OVER in this tilt.
My Pick: Pass
Total: Over 210.5 points (-110)
