Six games. That’s all the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat have left to make up their respective deficits for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. After an ill-timed losing streak, the Heat are now a half-game back of the Boston Celtics, the current eighth-placed team. Meanwhile, the similarly struggling Hornets are a further game back of the Heat.
With a win on Tuesday, the Hornets can draw level with Miami. But the Heat are still very formidable at home, where they will look to end their prolonged skid. Read on as we preview this crucial late-season matchup with significant playoff implications.
Over on the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder are barely clinging on to that final playoff spot. See if they can strengthen their grip on eighth as we preview the Spurs vs. Thunder.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Charlotte Hornets vs. Miami Heat Preview
Where: American Airlines Arena
When: Tuesday, April 7, 2015, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets kept their faint hopes of grabbing the eighth and final playoff spot alive with a 92-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The win was only the Hornets’ fifth in the last 15 games. With Al Jefferson out due to a lingering knee issue, Kemba Walker carried the team with 24 points on 11-of-21 shooting. Sixth man Mo Williams added 18 of the bench.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Bismack Biyombo held his own in place of Jefferson with nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks, but he suffered a broken nose against the Sixers and is questionable to play against the Heat. With Cody Zeller also missing for the past month due to a shoulder injury, the Hornets could be relying on a gimpy Jefferson (if he plays at all) and untested rookie Noah Vonleh to anchor their frontcourt.
Jefferson’s knee had limited him to just 7.2 points in his last four games, but it could feel a whole lot better if he’s matched up against Udonis Haslem as opposed to Hassan Whiteside. Haslem’s plus-minus was a horrendous minus-26 while playing center in the Heat’s 112-89 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
But if Jefferson can’t go, the Walker-Williams backcourt will once again have to do the heavy lifting offensively. They could have a particularly easy time driving down the lane if Whiteside isn’t around roaming the paint. Walker has averaged 16 points in three games against Miami this season, while Williams has averaged 17 points in his last six games overall.
The Hornets are 1-6 (3-4 against the spread) in their last seven road games.
Betting on the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat’s playoff chances have suddenly gone ice cold in recent games. With Sunday’s big loss to the Pacers, the Heat have now dropped their last four games in a row, and seven of their last nine. In fairness to them, though, three of those losses came against the Hawks, Spurs and Cavs – three of the best teams in the NBA.
The Heat were without center Hassan Whiteside (11 points, 10 rebounds per game) against the Pacers due to the hand injury which sidelined him for three games at the end of March. The Heat are heavily reliant on Whiteside’s interior defense, but they may not need his presence as much against the Hornets with Big Al ailing.
Udonis Haslem can still hold his own against anyone, and is averaging 11 points and almost 11 rebounds in the last four games without Whiteside. Moreover, the Luol Deng and Henry Walker/James Ennis frontcourt shouldn’t be punished as badly on defense by the Hornets’ Marvin Williams/Jeff Taylor combo, which averages just under 10 points per game.
Offensively, though, Dwyane Wade will still need to carry much of the burden. Wade has recorded back-to-back 20-plus point games against the Pistons and Pacers, shwoing no ill-effects from the knee bruise that knocked him out of their 114-88 loss against the Cavs on Thursday. Wade has especially stepped it up with Whiteside sidelined. He’s scored 67 points in the last two games without Whiteside.
The Heat are 8-2 (7-3 against the spread) in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Heat claim a valuable home win and cover against Charlotte. Create a betting account now just in time to cash in on the NBA’s lucrative postseason.
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