John Wall and the Washington Wizards can’t stop winning. That’s five wins and counting for Wall and co., who are climbing their way to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Wiz will be well-rested after two days off as they go on the road to face the injury-hit Miami Heat missing All-Star Chris Bosh.
Will the Wizards continue their winning ways in South Beach? Get informed with our preview below. For more on Friday’s NBA action, check out our preview of the Nets vs. Cavaliers, as LeBron and crew look to bounce back after a heavy defeat.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Washington Wizards vs. Miami Heat Betting Preview
Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami
When: Friday, December 19, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Washington Wizards at Miami Heat – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Washington Wizards
John Wall is a passing machine. The NBA’s leading assist man had his second 17-dime night this month in the Wizards’ 109-95 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. That win was the Wizards’ fifth in a row and eighth in their last nine games. Wall is making a serious case for player of the month with averages of 17 points 13 assists to go with 50 percent shooting in December.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Wall’s backcourt mate, Bradley Beal, had just 10 points on 3 for 12 shooting against the Wolves, but he is showing signs of snapping out of his season-long slump. Beal had a season-high 29 points on 9 for 17 shooting including 4 for 7 from three-point range in their big 104-96 win against the Clippers last Friday. He followed that up with 22 more points against the Jazz.
Meanwhile, the Wizards’ frontcourt has gained some significant depth with the return of Nene to the rotation. The big Brazilian is averaging 10.5 points and six rebounds in his last four games off the bench, with Marcin Gortat (12 points, five rebounds) and Kris Humphries (7.5 points, six rebounds) providing solid production as starters.
Expect the Wizards to have a significant advantage upfront against a Heat team missing forwards Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts. The Wizards’ defense has held its last four opponents to just 91 points per game, and should hold a shorthanded Heat team to a similarly low number.
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Betting on the Miami Heat
Vintage Dwyane Wade showed up on Wednesday as The Flash dropped 42 points on 12 for 19 shooting from the field and 16 for 21 from the line against the Utah Jazz. Unfortunately, Wade was just about the only one who showed up for the Heat in a heavy 105-87 defeat at home.
The injuries to Bosh and McRoberts have hurt the Heat, who are now playing the likes of Justin Hamilton, Chris Andersen and Udonis Haslem extended minutes at the center and forward positions. None of the three can come close to the 21.6 points and 8.2 rebounds Bosh had been averaging on a nightly basis this season.
Wade has been doing his part with a torrid December. He’s averaging 22.3 points and shooting 50 percent from the field while playing all 10 games so far this month. But without Bosh, Luol Deng and Mario Chalmers are the only ones who are capable of providing consistent scoring beside Wade.
Deng is averaging a solid but unspectacular 14 points per game this season, but Chalmers has cooled off significantly after a promising start. Chalmers is down to just 10 points and 40 percent shooting in December after 14 on 45 percent earlier in November.
The Heat are just 1-7 in their last eight home games and have failed to cover in any of those eight (0-7-1).
Writer’s Prediction
The Wizards win their sixth-straight game with a road win at Miami.
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