Overview
The New York Knicks are going to be desperate to show they can pull out of the slide they started on right before the All-Star break. New York has lost three straight games and tumbled into 12th place in the Eastern Conference, which leaves the Knicks three games behind the Atlanta Hawks for a spot in the play-in tournament. Miami is in a strong position to make a run at the top seed in the conference.
The Heat are only a half-game behind Chicago for the top spot in the conference and have been playing good basketball throughout the season. Miami has won its final five games on the road and six of its past 10.
Last games records
Miami won its last game, beating Charlotte 110-107 on the road Feb. 17 on the road. The Heat are 38-21 this season. New York lost its last game, 111-106, on Feb. 16 at home against Brooklyn. The Knicks are 25-34 this season.
Matchup Information:
Heat at Knicks Betting Analysis
Miami Heat Betting Analysis
Miami returns from the break in good shape, with not too much on the injury front and riding a nice win streak away from home. Continuing to build on the foundation the Heat built in the first half will require more excellent 3-point shooting from Miami. The Heat shoot 37.3 percent from the 3-point line, which ranks third in the league.
Shooting guard Duncan Robinson leads the team by knocking down 3.1 treys per game, while Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry average 2.2. Small forward Jimmy Butler is having another excellent season for Miami, scoring 21.8 points per game while also contributing 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.
Miami will hope to see Bam Adebayo, who only played in 46 games in the first half, continue to succeed.
Abeday consistently produces double-doubles, averaging 18.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
New York Knicks Betting Analysis
Things weren’t great for the Knicks before the league’s pause. New York is 2-8 over its last ten games, but the worst part for the Knicks is their defense has abandoned them recently. New York has allowed its opponents to score 117.0 points per game.
The Knicks’ defense this season ranks eighth in the league by limiting opponents to 106.6 points per game, which ranks eighth in the league. New York — when things are going well — limit opponents to 44.5 percent shooting from the field, which is the sixth-best number in the NBA.
Power forward Julius Randle averages 19.8 and 10.2 rebounds per game for New York. RJ Barrett is second on the team in scoring, averaging 18.0 rebounds in addition to contributing 5.7 rebounds per game.
Team Updates
The Heat will be without Victor Oladipo, who has a right knee injury. Tyler Herro is listed as day-to-day. New York has Derrick Rose listed out with an ankle injury, while Barett and Nerlens Noel are listed as day-to-day.
- Miami is 33-25-1 against the spread.
- New York is 26-33 against the spread.
- The over is 35-24 in the Heat’s games this season.
- The total has gone under the number in 31 of the Knicks’ 59 games.
Heat at Knicks Preview
The Knicks are desperate to stack up wins to move up the standings. New York, however, is going to need to figure out a lot of things to make that happen. The Knicks’ recent defensive struggles have taken away some of their identity, as they have struggled to score for much of the season.
Miami has built its foundation on strong 3-point shooting and defense. The Heat have the type of balance which will give the Knicks trouble, even at the Garden.
Heat at Knicks Betting Prediction
Top sportsbooks have the Heat as 4.5-point favorites, while Miami is -182 on the moneyline. The over/under has been set at 211 points. With New York’s struggles before the All-Star break and awaiting the return of Rose, it seems wise to anticipate a slow start from the Knicks.
Expect a strong opening salvo from the Heat, who will send a message to the Bulls they are a legitimate threat to the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a comfortable win over the Knicks.
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