You want more TJ Warren vs. Jimmy Butler? Well, you are getting your wish, as the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers are matched up in a first-round playoffs series in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers are +240 to beat the Heat and advance to the second round, while Miami is -320 to win this series.
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Betting Preview for the Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 1 on August 18, 2020
Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando
When: Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 4:00 PM ET
Line: Miami Heat (-3.5) vs. Indiana Pacers (+3.5) – view all 2020 NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Miami Heat (-3.5)
Regular Season Record: 44-29
The Heat are very familiar with Indiana, as do the Pacers with Miami. But it’s the Heat who have the mental advantage heading into this series if we’re basing it on the results of these two teams’ meetings in the regular season. Miami went 2-1 straight up against Indiana back in the regular season, including its 114-92 win in the Bubble last Aug. 11. That contest also marked the return of Jimmy Butler from his absence in previous games, and he didn’t waste much time to show how much he owns TJ Warren of the Pacers. Butler scored 19 points to go with 11 rebounds and five steals while keeping Warren in check. Miami has turned the heat on in converting opponents’ turnovers into points in Orlando, as they have scored 20.6 points per game off the other teams’ errors. In their win against the Pacers, the Heat had 19 of those to just 10 by Miami.
The under is 2-1 in the Heat’s last three games.
Betting on the Indiana Pacers (+3.5)
Regular Season Record: 45-28
Warren has blossomed since the NBA restart, and the Pacers are hoping to keep it up in the playoffs. The former NC State Wolfpack star has been the leader of the team in Orlando. In his last six games, Warren has averaged 31.0 points on 57.8 percent shooting from the field. His improved range has turned him into a bigger force to reckon with, as he’s making 3.7 threes on 52.7 percent shooting from deep in the Bubble. Butler is going to be on Warren all series long and given the former’s resume, buckets are not going to come easy most of the time for the Pacers forward. That means Malcolm Brogdon, Victor Oladipo, and Myles Turner have to establish threats early to keep Miami’s defense guessing. Turner is the anchor of Indiana’s defense that’s second in Orlando with just 108.1 points allowed per game.
The Pacers are 3-1 against the spread in their last four games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Pacers win, 107-105.
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