The Miami Heat (32-28, 13-18 Away), one of the league’s top scoring defenses, travel to face the Charlotte Hornets (18-43, 9-18 Home) on Saturday. Both teams will be playing their second game in as many days. The Heat are 5-3 without a day off, while the Hornets are 2-7.
Miami was blown out by the Milwaukee Bucks 128-99 at Fiserv Forum yesterday, their third loss in a row. Jimmy Butler was the standout player in the losing effort with 23 points.
The Heat are seventh in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte won their third in a row yesterday at Target Center, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-113. LaMelo Ball had 32 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists to lead the team.
The Hornets are 14th in the Eastern Conference.The teams are meeting for the final time this season. Charlotte will be looking to even the season series after winning only one of the three earlier meetings, including a 122-117 victory at Spectrum Center on January 29. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 31 points, seven assists, and six rebounds.
Butler had 28 points and seven rebounds in defeat. The Heat have been led this season by Butler (21.7 ppg), Bam Adebayo (21.5), and Tyler Herro (20.5). Adebayo also has grabbed 9.9 rebounds per game.
Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry is dishing 5.3 assists per game. Rozier has been the primary provider for the Hornets on offense, averaging 21.5 points per game. Rozier also has recorded 4.9 assists per game. Mason Plumlee has pulled down 9.7 rebounds per game. The Heat rank as one of the stingiest scoring defenses in the NBA, second-best with 108.6 points per game allowed.
The Heat are 7-3 in the last 10 games at Spectrum Center. In the last 10 games, Miami is 4-6 with an average margin of -4.5 (106.8-111.3). Charlotte has gone 3-7 over the last 10, allowing 120.0 points per game on average while scoring only 114.8 (-5.2 margin).
HEAT HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Victor Oladipo: 9.0 | 18.1 | -9.1
Points per game:
Victor Oladipo: 2.0 | 10.8 | -8.8
HORNETS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Gordon Hayward: 30.0 | 21.8 | +8.2
Kelly Oubre Jr.: 11.0 | 26.1 | -15.1
Points per game:
Gordon Hayward: 19.6 | 13.9 | +5.7
Kelly Oubre Jr.: 8.0 | 19.8 | -11.8
Rebounds per game:
LaMelo Ball: 9.2 | 6.2 | +3.0
Assists per game:
LaMelo Ball: 11.0 | 8.2 | +2.8
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Miami Heat (-200)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
