Two of the hotter teams in the NBA will face off at FTX Arena on Sunday night as the Brooklyn Nets visit the Miami Heat.
The Nets won 12 in a row prior to a 121-112 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday but bounced back with a 108-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans two days later.
The Heat have won nine of their last 13 overall to climb above the .500 mark, including a 104-96 triumph over the Phoenix Suns when last seen on Friday.
How will this Sunday night showdown shake out? Find out in our free NBA picks and predictions for Nets vs. Heat below.
Nets vs Heat best odds
Nets vs Heat picks and predictions
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the Brooklyn Nets should prove too much for the banged-up Miami Heat to handle on Sunday night.
Tyler Herro (21.1 points per game) and Caleb Martin (10.4 ppg) are in danger of missing this tilt. The Heat saw what living without Herro was like in mid-November, as he missed a stretch of eight games from Nov. 7 to Nov. 21.
Miami went 3-5 in that span, getting outscored by 19 points. They were able to beat the Suns on Friday without Herro, but Phoenix has lost eight of its last nine games, while the Nets have won 13 of their last 14.
Bam Adebayo was a late addition to the injury report with a thigh bruise. Not only has he led the Heat in scoring in three of his last four games, but he’s also paced the club in rebounds three times. Fortunately for Heat backers, he has been announced as available for tonight's game as of Sunday afternoon. Though, he could be limited.
Martin is a solid small forward that can do a little bit of everything, and his absence could test the depth of Erik Spoelstra’s squad. Miami still boasts two six-time All-Stars in Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry at a minimum, but they can’t do it all.
Meanwhile, Durant and Irving have been making headlines for all the right reasons of late. Durant is averaging 30 points per game this season, sixth among all players in the NBA, and second only to Giannis Antetokounmpo among power forwards. Irving is 15th in the league in scoring (25.9 points per game), but fifth among point guards.
As long as they’re both on their game, Brooklyn is a tough team to beat. The number for the Nets to cover as road favorites feels generous here.
My best bet: Nets -3.5 (-109 at Unibet)
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Nets vs Heat spread analysis
Miami boasts one of the better defenses in the NBA when it comes to points allowed per game at 109.1. Only the Cavaliers have surrendered fewer points per tilt at 106.8. But opponent shooting percentages tell a far different story.
The Heat are allowing the opposition to shoot 47.5% from the floor, including a 36.7% mark from 3-point range, the third-highest mark in the NBA. Unfortunately for Miami, Durant is shooting 56% from the floor this year, which would be a career-best for him if the season ended today. Irving boasts a 48.9 shooting percentage, which outpaces his career figure of 47.1.
Trend bettors should note that the Heat are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games following an ATS win and 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 home games. That includes five straight failures to cover in home games against teams with winning road records.
The Nets are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall and 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against teams with winning records at home.
Nets vs Heat Over/Under analysis
It’s difficult to envision the Heat keeping up in the scoring department with several key players either ailing or out, and the trends point to the Under prevailing.
Butler has exceeded 20 points for Miami in only three of his last nine games. Lowry has been in very poor form, averaging a mere 6.6 points per game over his last five contests. He went 3-for-11 from the floor against the Suns when last seen, with a 1-for-8 mark from beyond the arc.
Only one other Nets player is averaging double-digit points per game, and that’s Nic Claxton at 11.8. With Miami’s tendency to keep scoring down despite their terrible opponent accuracy stats, don’t expect Durant and Irving to pass up many shooting chances. That could help them pad their stats, but won’t necessarily turn this game into a track meet.
These clubs have gone below the total in five of their last six meetings. The Nets are 4-1 to the Under in their last five overall, with an identical mark in their last five games played on one day of rest. The Under has prevailed in seven of the last 10 games involving the Heat and is 7-1 in Miami’s last eight games played on one day of rest.
Nets vs Heat betting trend to know
The Heat are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Heat.
Nets vs Heat game info
| Location: | FTX Arena, Miami, FL |
| Date: | Sunday, January 8, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 6:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports Florida, YES |
