Miami has not faltered much this season, losing multiple games in a row just four times en route to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Heat take care of their business in a relentless fashion. Relentlessness may not be needed to night against the middling Clippers.
Here are our free NBA picks and predictions for the Los Angeles Clippers at the Miami Heat on January 28, with tip set for 8:00 ET.
Clippers vs Heat odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Heat opened as 5.5-point favorites on Thursday evening, and by Friday’s sunrise, that had moved up to -7.0 before settling at -7.5. The total saw far less movement, opening at 210.5 and bouncing back and forth between that number and 211.0.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Clippers vs Heat predictions
Predictions made on 1/28/2022 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Clippers vs Heat game info
• Location: FTX Arena
• Date: Friday, January 28, 2022
• Tip-off: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: SN1, BSSUN, BSSC
Clippers vs Heat betting preview
Injuries
Clippers: Marcus Morris PF (Out), Paul George SF (Out), Jason Preston PG (Out), Kawhi Leonard SF (Out).
Heat: Jimmy Butler PF (Questionable), Kyle Lowry PG (Out), KZ Okpala SF (Out), Markieff Morris PF (Out), Victor Oladipo SG (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Heat are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as a favorite, all of which came at home. The Over is 10-1 in the Heat’s last 11 Friday games. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Heat.
Clippers vs Heat picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Spread analysis
When you look at the Clippers’ current active roster, it looks a lot like their Los Angeles counterpart’s in that both would have been much better with these exact players five or six years ago. In the Clippers’ instance, though, that reality has led to far lower expectations in this transition year without Kawhi Leonard. Starting Nic Batum and Amir Coffey was never Los Angeles’ intention in roster construction, and that difficulty has turned this rendition of the Clippers into standings filler as much as anything else.
The Heat have not had that problem, blending veterans like P.J. Tucker and Jimmy Butler with youngsters like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson. Even without Kyle Lowry to possibly elevate this roster to what the East should fear in the playoffs, the combination of workmanlike veterans and eager youngsters has made Miami one of the most trusted bets in the league. The Heat are 29-19 ATS this season, largely because the ethos of Tucker and Butler does not allow Miami to take a night off.
A Friday night on the beach could make this game one where the Heat simply want to get in and out, but instead, this roster grinds opponents down in that situation. That is how Miami has gone 8-2 ATS in its last 10.
Simply enough, if there is any team to trust as a comfortable home favorite, it is the team that does not take games off, especially against a roster that is years past its prime.
Prediction: Heat -7.5 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The pandemic has not robbed us of one NBA constant: The South Beach flu. In Miami’s last 11 home games, the Over has cashed seven times. Teams pulling into the Florida sun still have their fun.
Los Angeles has been in Miami since early Thursday, having a day off between games in Orlando and down the coast.
Tired teams lapse on defense before offense. One requires that much more mental discipline. Giving that cushion to the Heat is not something the Clippers are likely to recover from, but at least it should allow Miami’s sharpshooters to make it an entertaining game.
Furthermore, the Over has gone 4-1-1 in the Clippers’ last six, encompassing all of this elongated road trip, while it has also 3-0 in the Heat’s last week.
Prediction: Over 210.5 (-110)
Best bet
The Heat stand atop the East because they do not let up. Their 17-5 mark at home underscores that. What is shocking about Miami, given the credibility assigned to the grit of Tucker, Butler & Co., is that they rank No. 3 in offensive rating this season, but No. 24 in defensive rating.
That latter number is one slot ahead of the Clippers, which is actually a touch better than Los Angeles’ offensive rating rank.
The differences between these two stem from roster construction to expectations and to performance this season. There is no reason to expect any of those to change course tonight.
Pick: Heat -7.5 (-110)
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