Heat at Pacers: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers (-3, 189)
The Indiana Pacers just completed a five-game road trip that put them up against some of the top teams in the Western Conference. Their reward for posting a 3-2 record on that excursion is a return home to host the defending champion Miami Heat on Tuesday. Indiana took the Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals last spring before falling just short and has been waiting for another crack at LeBron James and company.
While some of the Pacers players were upset with the way the road trip ended - a 118-94 loss at Oklahoma City - coach Frank Vogel saw the trip as a positive overall. “It was a good trip,” Vogel said. “You’re playing four of the top teams in the Western Conference in their building, two of them on the second night of a back-to-back, on a nine-day trip. That’s a brutal schedule.” The Heat are coming to the end of a four-game road trip and knocked off Minnesota and Detroit by a combined 36 points on Saturday and Sunday.
NBA POWER RANKINGS: Heat (-14.5) - Pacers (-13.0) + Home Court (-3.0) = Pacers -1.5
ABOUT THE HEAT (16-5, 11-10 ATS): Miami looked lifeless is back-to-back losses last week but got Dwyane Wade back from the flu on Saturday and watched as James flirted with triple-doubles against both the Timberwolves and the Pistons. James is more focused on fixing the small issues with his own team than getting too worked up about the matchup with the Pacers. “Obviously, everybody is going to make it as a marquee game on Tuesday but I don’t really get too much involved in regular-season matchups, especially early in December,” James said. “They’re a great team right now, the way they’re playing basketball. We’re trying to get healthy, trying to get to our full potential.”
ABOUT THE PACERS (18-3, 15-6 ATS): Indiana built up its top record in the Eastern Conference largely on the strength of its team defense and the brilliance of Paul George. While George continues to excel at the offensive end, the team defense surrendered at least 100 points in four of the five games on the trip after allowing an opponent to reach the century mark just once in the first 16 games. The Pacers allowed the Thunder to shoot a season-high 61 percent in Sunday’s setback and George (32 points) was the only player to score more than 12 for Indiana.
TRENDS:
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Indiana.
* Over is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
* Heat are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in Indiana.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Pacers took two of the three regular-season meeting in 2012-13 - both at home.
2. Miami F Michael Beasley (hamstring) sat out Sunday and is questionable for Tuesday.
3. George averaged 29.8 points on the five-game road trip and went 27-for-28 from the free-throw line.
NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat clearly the class of the Eastern Conference meet Tuesday for the first time since the Heat eliminated the Pacers in last year's conference finals. Pacers handed a 24 point defeat Sunday at Oklahoma enter 18-3 overall with a smart 15-6 mark against-the-spread. Pacers a perfect 9-0 (6-3 ATS) on home court net 96.7 per game in the confines of Bankers Life Fieldhouse while allowing visitors a messily 81.8 per/contest. Heat taking care of business knocking off Pistons last time out (110-95) hit the hardwood 16-5 on the campaign cashing 11-of-21 tickets (11-10 ATS). Heat are 7-3 SU/ATS away from South Beach scoring 101.6 while giving up 93.4 points/game. Losing game seven of the Conference Finals and with something to prove seems like a good spot to back Indiana who have compelling betting numbers in their favour. Pacers are on a 14-5 ATS stretch revenging a loss to an opponent, have cashed 11-of-12 tickets following an ATS loss, have a profitable 14-4 ATS record following a double digit road loss, own a 3-1 ATS mark after allowing => 110 points previous game. On the other side, Heat are 1-4 ATS last 5 meetings in Indiana, 1-6 ATS after running the hardwood with Pistons.
Heat, Pacers clash
By Sportsbook.ag
Miami Heat (16-5) at Indiana Pacers (18-3)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Indiana -3.5, Total: 190
Two of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams square off on Tuesday night when the Heat wrap up their four-game road trip versus the Pacers.
Miami defeated the Pistons 110-95 on Sunday to win its second straight road game both SU and ATS, but that same night Indiana got destroyed by the Thunder 118-94 in the second game of a road back-to-back.
The Pacers and Heat have not met since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season where Miami rolled to a 99-76 home win despite shooting just 39.5% FG. Over the past three seasons, the Pacers are 10-10 ATS (8-12 SU) in this series, including 6-4 (SU and ATS) when hosting the Heat.
As the coach of Miami, Erik Spoelstra is 27-12 ATS (69%) in road games after two straight double-digit wins. Indiana, however, is 12-3 ATS (80%) as a favorite this season and 22-7 ATS (76%) off a road loss over the past two seasons.
On the injury front, SG Dwyane Wade (knee) will likely play in this game for Miami, but SF Michael Beasley (hamstring) is questionable.
Miami has bounced back from a two-game losing skid with two wins in a row over the Timberwolves and Pistons, outshooting these two clubs 55% FG to 36% FG. The Heat have played great team basketball to start the year despite being without Dwyane Wade at times this season.
Miami is averaging 23.9 APG (5th in NBA), which has helped lead to 103.5 PPG (6th in league). The defense has also been stellar, as the Heat are allowing just 95.9 PPG (6th in NBA). SF LeBron James has played at an MVP level once again this season, leading the team in points (25.4 PPG), rebounds (6.2 RPG) and assists (6.3 APG). He also dominated Indiana in the playoffs with 29.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.4 BPG in the seven-game series.
Miami will need PF Chris Bosh (14.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG) to play better as the Pacers have one of the best frontcourts in the league. Bosh has struggled shooting the ball over the past three games, averaging just 11.3 PPG on 41% FG (0-of-6 threes), and was held to 11.0 PPG on 38% FG and 4.3 RPG in the playoffs versus Indiana.
SG Dwyane Wade (18.5 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.7 RPG) must also play well for the Heat against this relentless Pacers defense, but Wade may be a bit sluggish after missing three of the Heat’s past four games. Wade had an inconsistent series versus Indiana, but still averaged a solid 15.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 4.3 APG in the seven games.
Indiana is 18-3 SU (15-6 ATS), but lost its most recent game to the Thunder in pretty horrific fashion, getting outshot 61% FG to 40% FG. Still, the Pacers are one of the toughest teams in the league and will be a very difficult matchup for the Heat, who lack an interior presence. Indiana has the league’s best defense, allowing an NBA-low 89.5 PPG on 40.8% FG, while ranking sixth in the league in rebounding margin (+3.2 RPG).
SF Paul George (25.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.4 APG) has been outstanding this season, and over the past five games, he's averaging 29.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.6 APG and 2.0 SPG. His length makes life on LeBron James a little tougher than usual, and he had a huge East Finals last year with 19.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 5.1 APG, but also committed 32 turnovers in the seven games.
C Roy Hibbert (12.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG) will draw Chris Bosh on defense and he should be able to take advantage of that matchup, as his 7-foot-2, 290-pound frame will be overwhelming. Hibbert had little trouble scoring on the small Miami lineup in the playoffs with 22.1 PPG (56% FG), 10.4 RPG in the seven-game series.
PG George Hill (11.7 PPG, 3.9 APG) has a very winnable matchup against Mario Chalmers at the point guard position, but he has struggled recently with only 8.7 PPG and 2.0 APG over the past three games. Hill must find his stroke (40% FG this season) to make the Heat pay for double-teaming Hibbert or PF David West (12.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.1 APG), who tallied 16.6 PPG and 8.9 RPG against Miami in the East Finals.