It's a Southeast Division showdown for basketball betting, as the Miami Heat visit the Washington Wizards in NBA action.
Neither team has exactly been killing it to start this season, with Miami very much suffering from a bubble hangover, and Washington suffering from its own built-in malaise.
As both teams look for a get-right spot, let's figure out what to make of the NBA odds with our Heat vs. Wizards picks and predictions for Saturday, January 9 at 7 p.m. ET.
(Editor's Note: This preview was published prior to news that Russell Westbrook is listed as questionable vs. Miami.)
Miami Heat at Washington Wizards Betting Preview
Injuries
Heat: None.
Wizards: Russell Westbrook G (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Heat are 19-9 ATS in their last 28 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Heat vs. Wizards.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
Miami has looked a little inconsistent to start the season, representing the very extreme of the shortest offseason in pro sports history. At 3-4 SU, their effort (and perhaps motivation) has understandably waned, while Jimmy Butler has sat two games and seen limited burn in several others. Everything we've seen from Miami so far - including helping the Bucks get their groove back with a 47-point goring - needs to be graded on a curve.
Washington is fairly predictably off to a poor start. Sitting at 2-7 SU on the season, the Wizards have so far been unable to harness Russell Westbrook's volatile powers, and mostly look disorganized.
At its best, Miami clearly has an edge on paper, and is coming off two nights' rest. Looking at both teams' fluidity on the wing, it's also very feasible that Butler could check league-leading scorer Bradley Beal (35.0 ppg) and put the clamps on him if the Wizards keep this close.
This spread seems reasonable, given that home-court advantage hasn't really been a thing so far this year, the Wizards are also 2-7 ATS, and are playing the hind leg of a back-to-back after taking a road L last night.
The Heat need a get-right spot to re-establish their mojo, and this looks about as good as any.
PREDICTION: Miami -5.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Washington is as close to a walking Over prototype as exists in professional sports right now.
They play at the NBA's fastest pace, while sporting its 27th-ranked defensive rating. Shots come quickly and without much discretion or resistance. Watching a Wizards game can legitimately make you feel like you're on stimulants.
The Wiz are 6-2 O/U on the season, smashing their 234.8 average total with their games netting 243.6 points. That said, they've been getting help: All but two of their contests have been against fellow Top-10 pace teams.
Miami - with a nearly-identical roster - was stealthily the sixth-best Over team in the NBA last year. Topping the total in 57.6 percent of their games, they were just behind one-way squads like Atlanta, Portland and Dallas, and actually just ahead of Washington.
But we're bucking the trend here. The O/U is set at 230.5, which feels a bit like an overcompensation considering the Heat and Wizards combine to average 224.9. These two squads were 1-3 O/U this number last year when matched up, needing overtime in the only game that topped it. Miami is a methodical team (22nd in pace), and Washington might be too gassed to turn this into a track meet.
The Wizards (apart from Beal) looked languid last night in Boston, scoring just 107. They then had to hit an overnight flight for the always-lame different-city double-header.
If we're counting on Miami to exert themselves over a tired and lost Wizards squad (and we are), the Under is the play.
PREDICTION: Under 230.5 (-110)
Player Prop Pick
Butler's M.O. this season has been to chill a little and let the rest of Miami's budding studs grow into bigger roles. After all, he did go Super Saiyan in the NBA Finals, like, last week, and even a machine like Jimmy Buckets needs some downtime.
Butler's points O/U sits at 20.5 for this game, a mark he's bested only once this season while averaging just 13.8 points and 11.8 shot attempts.
Butler will likely be focusing his efforts on defending Beal for some, if not most of his floor time, and may not even need to assert himself on offense if Miami keeps Washington at a distance.
PREDICTION: Jimmy Butler Under 20.5 points (-110)
Heat vs Wizards Betting Card
- Miami -5.5 (-110)
- Under 230.5 (-110)
- Jimmy Butler Under 20.5 points (-110)
Did you know that if you parlayed this week’s NBA Heat vs. Wizards picks, you could win $59.58 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where Can I Bet on the NBA?
You can bet on NBA odds at every online and casino sportsbooks, including NBA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals and a ton of NBA prop odds. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on NBA odds in your area.
