The Indiana Pacers (13-18) and Miami Heat (18-13) are set to square off at the FTX Arena in Miami, FL. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 P.M. EST on Tuesday, December 21st.
Indiana has not played since December 16th, when they defeated the Detroit Pistons by a score of 122-113.
The Heat last played in Detroit on Monday, where they lost 100-90. However, they still place fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Pacers at Heat Betting Analysis
On the Indiana Pacers side
The soon-to-be rebuilding Pacers still have a fairly talented squad intact. Until the wheels begin to spin on trading away Domantas Sabonis, Mylers Turner, and Caris LeVert, this is a team with plenty of upset potential.
They won a game they were expected to win against the Lowly Pistons last week. Caris Levert led the charge in the game with 31 points and five assists. Sabonis contributed a well-rounded stat line of 12 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
The Pacers enter Tuesday’s action nearly at full strength, as Malcolm Brogdon is expected to return from the injured list.
Indiana ranks in the top half of the league in points per game and field goal percentage. They also take care of the basketball fairly well. Shot-blocking extraordinaire Myles Turner leads an Indiana rim-protecting attack that ranks first in the NBA with six blocked shots per contest.
The Pacers could easily have a better record if not for some late-game bad luck this season. They also could be in store for an upset against this injury-riddled Miami Heat team.
On the Miami Heat side
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are unavailable for Tuesday’s game due to injuries. Tyler Herro is listed as questionable as he aims to overcome the quad ailment. Miami’s lineup is incredibly susceptible when none of these three players are on the floor.
Kyle Lowry remains the one star on the team, which has maintained his health through the first two months of the season. Lowry did all he could do in the recent loss against Detroit, as the veteran point guard posted 19 points and ten assists. Max Strus impressed off the bench with 24 points to lead Miami in the scoring department.
But the valiant efforts of Lowry and Strus were ultimately not enough against the last place Pistons.
The Heat will need all hands on deck if they want to avoid losing a second consecutive game to a bottom-tier team. Be sure to monitor the health of Tyler Herro before placing your final bets on this game. His status could be indicative of who is able to win this one.
Pacers at Heat Prediction
This is a close one to predict. Even many sportsbooks have this game coming down to the wire.
For now, I would place my money on Miami. They were on the road against Detroit, and a number of key players underperformed. I can see those players getting back on track and helping the Heat rebound for a win at home against Indiana.
Take the Miami Heat -1.5 with your betting pick.