The Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets meet Tuesday in the NBA Play-In at the Spectrum Center. Here’s a Hornets vs. Heat Prediction. This article will include a Hornets vs. Heat Pick.
Miami Heat Betting Preview
The Miami Heat recently beat the Wizards and Hawks. The Heat have lost 10 of their last 15 games.
The Miami Heat are averaging 122.4 points on 46.8 percent shooting and allowing 120 points on 46.5 percent shooting. Norman Powell is averaging 21.7 points and 3.5 rebounds, while Tyler Herro is averaging 20.5 points and 4.1 assists. Bam Adebayo is the third double-digit scorer, and Andrew Wiggins is grabbing 4.8 rebounds. The Miami Heat are shooting 36.1 percent from beyond the arc and 79.2 percent from the free-throw line. The Miami Heat are allowing 35.9 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 46.9 rebounds per game.
Charlotte Hornets Betting Preview
The Charlotte Hornets recently lost to the Pistons and beat the Knicks. The Hornets have won 28 of their last 38 games.
The Charlotte Hornets are averaging 117.4 points on 46 percent shooting and allowing 112.6 points on 46.7 percent shooting. Brandon Miller is averaging 20.2 points and 3.3 assists, while LaMelo Ball is averaging 20.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. Kon Knueppel is the third double-digit scorer, and Miles Bridges is dishing out 3.2 assists. The Charlotte Hornets are shooting 37.8 percent from beyond the arc and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. The Charlotte Hornets are allowing 35.9 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 46.6 rebounds per game.
Why the Charlotte Hornets will win
- The Hornets have won 10 of their last 11 games against Southeast Division opponents.
- The Heat have lost four of their last five road games.
- The Hornets have covered the spread in 10 of their last 11 night games against Southeast Division opponents.
- The Heat have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games as underdogs following a home win.
Why the Miami Heat will win
- The Heat have won each of their last four games as underdogs against Southeast Division opponents following a win.
- The Hornets have lost three of their last four games as home favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Heat have covered the spread in each of their last five games against Hornets teams that held a winning record.
- The Hornets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Heat’s last seven games against Southeast Division opponents has gone OVER the total points line.
- Seven of the Hornets’ last eight games against Eastern Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
Charlotte Hornets Player Facts
- LaMelo Ball has recorded 67 games with 4+ assists this season—equal to the most of any player in the league.
- Kon Knueppel ranks 5th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per game (3.4) this season.
Miami Heat Player Facts
- Davion Mitchell has recorded 15 games with 4+ assists and zero turnovers this season—most of any player in the league.
- Bam Adebayo is one of only two players in the league to have scored 60+ points in a game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Hornets rank 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (39.3).
- The Hornets rank 1st in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (16.4).
- The Heat rank 30th in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (80.4%).
- The Heat rank 1st in the league for field goals made per game this season (43.7).
Hornets vs Heat Injury Report
The Hornets don’t have any players listed on their injury report.
Pelle Larsson is questionable for the Heat with a leg contusion.
Hornets vs Heat Prediction
We’ve been on the Hornets since the start of the season, as I predicted they’d be a playoff team this season. I so badly want to see the Hornets play the Pistons in the first round. The Heat have been a mess this season, underachieving and often looking like a team that doesn’t want to play together. Charlotte should be a zoo, and the Hornets have this young, athletic, high-flying team that would beat Miami into the ground if the Heat doesn’t want to be there. With all of that said, the Hornets are still a young, wet-behind-the-ears team that’s never been in a spot this big.
As bad as the Heat look, they get up for these games, have never lost in the play-in and have guys who have won playoff series and been in the finals before. Led by one of the best coaches in NBA history, the Heat are just well prepared for these win-or-go-home situations. Now, a Hornets blowout wouldn’t shock me and I’m not saying the Heat will win this game. Still, this is a lot of points to give a Heat team that’s been in and thrived in these situations over the last three years. I’ll take the points.