There’s a feeling this season that the Eastern Conference is more competitive today than it was in previous years. With the rise of the Miami Heat and the game Indiana Pacers making a surprising start to the season, it sure seems like the conference is more than just about the Cleveland Cavaliers and a couple more teams.
Later tonight, the Heat and the Pacers meet in an intriguing matchup between two 12-8, middle-of-the-pack teams in the east. Read on for a breakdown of this matchup. Looking for more? Click here for a preview of Warriors vs. Celtics.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers Betting Preview
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
When: Friday, December 11, 2015, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: NBATV
Betting on the Miami Heat (12-8)
[sc:NBA240banner ]A bad shooting night and an inability to take care of the ball had the Heat careening into their second straight setback when they suffered a 99-81 road loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. Up next for Miami is a rematch with the Pacers, who dealt the Heat with a 90-87 loss on November 6.
Against Charlotte, the Heat shot just 38.7 percent from the field (29-for-75), while also committing 17 turnovers. Chris Bosh was the biggest no-show, as the big man made just seven points and grabbed a measly two rebounds. Bosh, however, should have a much better game against Indiana. In the first meeting with the Pacers, Bosh had a team-high 21 points and added 11 rebounds in a losing effort. Thus far this season, Bosh is averaging 17.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game on the season.
Dwyane Wade, meanwhile, also had a letdown game against Charlotte. Wade was held down to only 11 points—way fewer than his average of 22.8 points in the last five outings. Bosh and Wade will have to get back to their usual offensive forms later tonight in order for the Heat to keep in step with Indiana’s fifth-ranked offense. They should get help from Luol Deng, who returned to action on Wednesday and scored five points off the bench after missing six games due to a hamstring injury.
Miami’s defense, meanwhile, will be the major key to victory for the team. The Heat are second in the league with only 93.6 points allowed per game this season. Their rim protection is arguably the best in the NBA, as Miami allows just 40.5 points in the paint and swats away 7.6 shots per game.
The under is 6-0 in the last six road games of Miami, which averages 89.0 PPG when away from South Beach this season.
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Betting on the Indiana Pacers (12-8)
The skid continues for the reeling Pacers after they became the latest victim of Golden State’s rampage. With no answer to Klay Thompson and the Warriors, the Pacers took a 131-123 loss on Tuesday to extend their losing streak to three games. They’ll look to snap that skid when they play Miami at home tonight, where the Pacers are 4-0 SU and ATS in their last four games there against Miami.
That stretch includes the Pacers’ close win in the first meeting, when Paul George went Paul George circa 2013. In that game, PG13 exploded for 36 points and added 12 rebounds. He didn’t get much help from his teammates, though, with only George Hill and Rodney Stuckey scoring in double figures beside George.
George leads the Pacers in points (27.9 PPG) but he should get ample support from Hill and company against the Heat. After all, the Pacers are fifth in the league in scoring with 104.3 PPG. Miami doesn’t give too many scoring opportunities inside with Hassan Whiteside and Chris Bosh patrolling the paint, but the Pacers have plenty of shooters who can light it up from the perimeter.
The Pacers are knocking down 9.8 treys per game on the season, fifth in the league. They went berserk from beyond the arc in the Golden State game, going 14-for-33 from deep with George and C.J. Miles making five apiece.
Writer’s Prediction
Indiana wins, 96-93.
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