The Indiana Pacers head to Miami to take on the Heat in a top Eastern Conference showdown on Friday. Indiana is only 5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division. Miami leads the Southeast with a 22-8 record. Which team gets the win on Friday? Check out the NBA odds, analysis and a free pick for Pacers vs Heat!
Pacers vs Heat 2019 NBA Odds, Game Preview & Expert Pick
- When: Friday, Dec. 27 at 8:00 pm ET
- Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
- ATS Odds: Heat -5
Why the Indiana Pacers are a good bet +5?
Indiana played well before the Christmas break. The Pacers went 4-1 SU. They went 3-2 ATS. The front line of Domantas Sabonis, T.J. Warren, and Myles Turner is one of the tops in the league. The front line should ensure that Indiana keeps this close even though Victor Oladipo is out and Malcolm Brogdon is listed as questionable.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Points/G: 108.8
- Field Goal %: 46.8
- 3-Point %: 36.3
- Free Throw %: 80.5
- Rebounds/G: 44.4
- Points/G: 104.6
- Field Goal %: 43.6
- 3-Point %: 33.6
- Free Throw %: 76.2
- Rebounds/G: 44.7
Why the Miami Heat are a good bet -5?
Miami is on a 3-game winning streak: 108-104 against Phoenix, 129-114 over the New York Knicks, and 107-104 over Utah. The Heat lean on Jimmy Butler. The former Chicago Bull averages 20.4 points and 6.6 assists. Butler allows the Heat to bring Goran Dragic off the bench. That’s what makes Miami so difficult to match up against. The Heat are 19-10-1 ATS this season. They can win and cover on Friday night.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Points/G: 112.7
- Field Goal %: 47.4
- 3-Point %: 38.5
- Free Throw %: 76.6
- Rebounds/G: 45
- Points/G: 107.4
- Field Goal %: 44.1
- 3-Point %: 32.4
- Free Throw %: 75.6
- Rebounds/G: 41.5
NBA Betting Trends for Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat
- Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight-up win
- Indiana is 5-2 ATS in their last 6 games overall
- Pacers are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 versus a team with a winning straight up record
- Under is 8-1 in Pacers last 9 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game
- Miami is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as a home underdog
- Heat is 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games
- Miami is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games following an ATS loss
- Over is 7-1 ATS in Heat last 8 overall.
Pacers vs Heat Final NBA Betting Analysis
Indiana has a great front line. But the Miami Heat play well together. Butler starts at forward. He can play shooting guard, point guard, or forward. Jimmy passes the ball well from any position on the court.
Not only that, but the Heat can also challenge Indiana inside the 3-point line. Although top names don’t adorn their front line, Miami shoots 47.2% from the field. Indiana’s bigs must challenge Miami’s shooters, which means the Heat could get easy buckets on the blocks.
That’s one of the reasons to start Butler at forward. From that position, he can pass to a cutting player or a three-point shooter. The Heat drain threes at a 38.5% clip. That ranks second in the NBA.
With Butler doing his thing, Miami should win and cover on Friday. The Heat pose serious matchup problems for the Indiana Pacers. Back Miami.
NBA Free Pick: Heat -5
