Miami vs Charlotte | NBA Predictions, Preview & Odds

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The Miami Heat look to end the first half of the NBA season atop the Eastern Conference as they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, the final day before the All-Star break. The NBA odds will be determined by a few injuries.

How to Bet Miami at Charlotte NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 7 PM ET
Where: Spectrum Center
TV: NBA League Pass
Stream: NBA.com, NBA TV app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: TBA (Heat should be short favorites)

Season Series

The Heat and Hornets meet for the third of four matchups this regular season. Miami has won both by at least 15 points each and has now won three-straight overall against Charlotte. They last played on Feb. 5 in Charlotte and the Heat rolled 104-86. Jimmy Butler scored 27 points and Bam Adebayo added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Tyler Herro had 19 points behind five 3-pointers for Miami, which scored 27 points off 20 turnovers by Charlotte while holding the Hornets to 38.4% shooting from the floor. The Hornets led 51-46 halftime before things unraveled. Miami, which shot just 2 of 16 from beyond the arc in the first half, outscored Charlotte 35-8 in the third quarter to take control.

Why Bet on Miami?

The Heat had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 107-99 home upset vs. Dallas on Tuesday. Luka Doncic scored 21 points, Jalen Brunson and Maxi Kleber each finished with 19 points and Dorian Finney Smith had 14 points for the Mavericks, who have won 17 of 23 since Jan. 1. The Heat emphasized double-teaming Doncic, limiting him to 5-of-19 shooting and six points under his season average. While Doncic struggled with his shot, Brunson, Kleber, Dorian-Smith and Bertans were a combined 20 of 39. Dallas was moving the ball with fervor and accuracy (27 assists on 34 shots).

Jimmy Butler (right shoulder strain) played 38 minutes and had 29 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Butler was a question mark for Tuesday’s game, but he was able to log 38 minutes without any issues. The double-double was his 11th of the season, and first since Feb. 1. Butler is questionable for this one.

Bam Adebayo had 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Adebayo has now recorded a double-double in three straight and six of his last seven games, running his total up to 18 on the season. Miami won point in the paint, 52-24.

Duncan Robinson has connected on 696 career three-point field goals, just four short from 700. Robinson has currently played in 215 career NBA games. The fastest player in NBA history to make their 700th three-point field goal is Buddy Hield in his 269th game.

The Heat were without Sixth Man of the Year favorite Tyler Herro, who most likely will not play in this game, and backup big man Dewayne Dedmon. Herro has dished out 181 assists this season, the third-most on the team, and is now just three shy from already tying his single-season high of 184 which was set in 2020-21. Additionally, he has already surpassed his previous single season highs for points (815 in 2020-21) and field goals made (307 in 2020-21).

The Heat are holding teams to 104.4 points this season, the fifth-lowest in the NBA, and is 19-1 when holding teams under 100. Miami is 21-1 when shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range and a perfect 14-0 when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.

Why Bet on Charlotte?

The Hornets lost for the eighth time in nine games Tuesday, 126-120 in OT at Minnesota. Karl-Anthony Towns had 39 points and 15 rebounds, D’Angelo Russell added 18 points and 11 assists for the winners. Minnesota came back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth, but Miles Bridges tied the game for Charlotte with a 3-pointer and free throw in the final minute. Russell’s last-second 3 was off the mark, forcing overtime. Charlotte fell to 0-5 in overtime games this season.

Two major reasons for the Charlotte loss transpired in the final quarter of regulation: the Timberwolves outscored the Hornets, 9-0, in second-chance points and won the rebounding battle by 10 (18-8).

Gordon Hayward missed his fourth straight game with a left ankle sprain. Cody Martin was out for the fifth straight game with left ankle/Achilles soreness. Neither will play in this one. Coach James Borrego made a switch to the starting lineup, giving PJ Washington the start and having Kelly Oubre Jr. come off the bench.

Oubre hit just 4-of-13 shots for 11 points. He came into Tuesday one shooting just 35 percent for the month. Oubre has hit just 10-of-62 3-pointers in his eight February games and 1-for-16 over the past three. All-Star LaMelo Ball hit had 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists. It was his fourth consecutive game with 20+ points. It’s the second time this season that Ball has had streak of four games or longer with 20 points or more as he is averaging 25.2 points per game over his last five games.

Miles Bridges was great with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Terry Rozier posted his third straight contest with at least 25 points, scoring 25 points on 9-of-22 shooting while dishing out five assists. Over his last three outings, Rozier is averaging 28.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game, ranking 12th in scoring and tied for sixth in assists per game.

Mason Plumlee came within one assist of his third career triple-double, finishing with 14 points, a season-high-tying 17 rebounds and a season-high nine assists. It was the first time a Hornets center had nine-plus assists since Vlade Divac dished out nine dimes on Mar. 28, 1997 vs. Indiana. Charlotte incorporated more size into its rotations for much of the night and regularly had at least two of Plumlee, Washington, Montrezl Harrell and JT Thor on the court at all times.