The Pelicans (1-0) play the Heat (0-1) on Christmas Day, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.
The game tips off early at noon ET and can be seen on ESPN.
The Pelicans overturned a halftime deficit in their season opener to beat the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, with Brandon Ingram leading the team with 24 points and JJ Redick adding 23 off the bench. The Heat stumbled to a 113-107 loss to the Magic to start 0-1 on the year, but will be favored to win on Christmas Day.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
- Point spread: Heat -3.5
- Money line: Heat -165 / Pelicans +140
- Over-under: 224.5
Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.
Advice and prediction
The Heat and Pelicans split their series last season, but this is a different Pelicans roster with Steven Adams and without Jrue Holiday. In preseason action, the Pelicans beat the Heat 114-92.
New Orleans pulled off an impressive victory earlier this week, weathering early foul trouble to Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball and turning around a game that could have easily slipped away. Perhaps most impressively, the Pelicans already seem to be making a greater effort on the defensive end under Stan Van Gundy, and with the Heat perhaps still getting back into the groove after a short offseason, there’s some real value in Pelicans +3.5, or in taking the Pelicans straight up at +140.
For the total, under 224.5 is the safer play. The Heat have gone under that total in each of their three games including preseason action, while the Pelicans shot 52 percent and made 19 3s against the Raptors and still only scored 113.
Prediction: Pelicans 105, Heat 103
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
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