Miami Heat at Houston Rockets odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Friday’s Miami Heat at Houston Rockets odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Houston Rockets (38-38) welcome the Miami Heat (42-34) to the Toyota Center Friday. Tip is set for 8 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Heat vs. Rockets odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.

Season series: Heat lead 1-0 after a 120-113 home win on Jan. 8 as a 4-point  favorite

Houston has lost 3 straight games going 1-2 against the spread (ATS). It is coming off a 133-110 home loss to the Golden State Warriors Thursday as a 3-point underdog. The Rockets are 43-32-1 ATS on the season. They are led by G Jalen Green, who is averaging 19.9 points per game (PPG).

The Heat lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 109-105 Thursday, failing to cover as a 2.5-point home favorite. They are 4-3 straight up and 3-3-1 ATS over their last 7 games. Miami is 36-38-2 ATS on the season. It is led by F Jimmy Butler, who is averaging 20.9 PPG.

Heat at Rockets odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:26 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Heat -144 (bet $144 to win $100) | Rockets +122 (bet $100 to win $122)
  • Against the spread (ATS): Heat -2.5 (-112) | Rockets +2.5 (-108)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 215 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Heat at Rockets key injuries

Heat

  • Not yet submitted

Rockets

  • Not yet submitted

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

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Heat at Rockets picks and predictions

Prediction

Heat 110, Rockets 107

Moneyline

BET HEAT (-144).

Miami is the healthier side and has more to play for. It sits 7th in the Eastern Conference and, with a late-season run, could finish 6th and avoid playing Milwaukee or Boston in the 1st round and the play-in tournament.  The Heat have won 3 of their last 4 and have won 4 of their last 5 on the road. They should have more fire to come out on top.

The Rockets were among the hottest teams in the NBA, but have lost 3 straight. While their 11-game win streak was impressive, it was largely against non-playoff teams. The Heat are hot while the Rockets have cooled off, losing 3 straight all to teams in playoff contention.

The Heat are the better side and, at these odds, give good value to win outright. Back HEAT (-144).

Against the spread

PASS.

While there is some value on the Heat’s spread, this should be a close battle, and taking them to win outright is the better wager.

Over/Under

LEAN OVER 215 (-110).

The Heat have gone Over in 4 straight games, scoring at least 109 in 3 of those and scoring 119 or more in 2 of the 4. Miami has allowed 107 or more in 2 of its last 3 as well.

The Rockets are 9-2 O/U in their last 11 games. They have scored at least 106 points in all but 1 of those games. Houston ranks 14th in pace and has a plethora of young talent that should want to push the tempo.

Back OVER 215 (-110).

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Miami Heat at Houston Rockets odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Thursday’s Miami Heat at Houston Rockets odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Miami Heat (14-15) face the Houston Rockets (9-18) Thursday at Toyota Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Heat vs. Rockets, and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.

The Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-108 Wednesday but they failed to cover as 2.5-point road favorites. Miami has won 3 of its last 4 games.

The Rockets secured a 111-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns Tuesday to cover as 7-point underdogs at home. Houston has also logged a win in 3 of its last 4 games.

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Heat at Rockets odds

Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Heat -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Rockets +140 (bet $100 to win $140)
  • Against the spread (ATS): Heat -3.5 (-115) | Rockets +3.5 (-105)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 219.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

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Heat at Rockets key injuries

Heat

  • Not yet submitted

Rockets

  • F Jae’Sean Tate (ankle) out

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

Heat at Rockets picks and predictions

Prediction

Heat 109, Rockets 103

Moneyline

The odds for the Heat (-160) to win on Thursday are at a point where I’m not confident in taking them to secure a victory, so I’ll PASS on the moneyline. F Jimmy Butler was out for Wednesday’s matchup against the Thunder and it remains to be seen who suits up for Miami Thursday.

Against the spread

Even though I won’t be taking Miami to win straight up, HEAT -3.5 (-115) is an intriguing wager assuming that they have most of their starters available when they release an injury report. If Miami elects to sit a few starters on the 2nd leg of a back-to-back, then proceed with caution when wagering on the spread in this contest.

The Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road meetings against the Rockets and 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings overall.

Over/Under

UNDER 219.5 (-115) is my lean considering how these teams have performed on offense thus far. Besides the Heat playing at the 3rd-slowest pace in the NBA, the Heat and the Rockets are both bottom 5 teams in offensive rating.

The Rockets have hit the Under in 5 of their last 6 games following a win. Meanwhile, the Under is 4-2 in the last 6 meetings between the Heat and the Rockets.

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Miami Heat at Houston Rockets odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Thursday’s Miami Heat at Houston Rockets NBA odds and lines, with basketball picks, tips and predictions.

The Houston Rockets (11-13) host the Miami Heat (10-14) Wednesday at the Toyota Center for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we analyze the Heat-Rockets NBA odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Miami has started to round a corner since All-Star wing Jimmy Butler returned from injury on Jan. 30. Over that span, the Heat are 4-2 overall, but only 2-4 ATS, behind the fourth-best defensive rating and the second-highest FTA/FGA rate.

The Rockets have lost three straight (0-3 ATS) since leading scorer and rebounder C Christian Wood was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Houston has the lowest net rating and rebounding percentage and the fourth-lowest effective field goal percentage with Wood out of action.

Heat at Rockets: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.

  • Money line: Heat -145 (bet $145 to win $100) | Rockets +120 (bet $100 to win $120)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Heat -2.5 (-110) | Rockets +2.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under: 214.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Heat at Rockets: Key injuries

Heat

  • PG Goran Dragic (groin) out
  • SG Avery Bradley (calf) out

Rockets

  • PG John Wall (ankle) probable
  • Christian Wood (ankle) out

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Heat at Rockets: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Heat 114, Rockets 104

Money line (ML)

PASS with a lean on Heat (-145). This is the fringe of my buy price for an NBA regular-season money line favorite and perhaps taking Miami to win outright is the better play. If the Heat somehow become a cheaper money line favorite before tip-off then Miami’s money line might be the play (pending a final injury report).

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Against the spread (ATS)

My meta-strategy is to bet against the Rockets while they are without Wood. Houston was flying under the radar and had a winning record before he got injured. It has only been three games, but the Rockets are below-average defensively in all “four factors” (opponent’s eFG%, FTA rate, turnover percentage and offensive rebounding rate).

Houston has the second-best defensive rating in the Association, and Wood is its best defensive big. However, Houston’s perimeter defense is aided by Wood being an elite rebounder and shot-blocker, and him not being back there to protect the rim should cause the Rockets issues on defense.

Miami’s offense hasn’t found its groove yet this season judging by its 24th-ranked offensive rating and league-leading turnover rate. However, the Heat still has the eighth-highest eFG% and excels at getting to the foul line (sixth in free-throw rate) while Houston is 22nd in opponent’s FTA/FGA rate.

TAKE HEAT -2.5 (-110) for 1.25 units.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. A majority of the money wagered is on the Under (sharps) but a majority of the bets are on the Over (Joe Public), but my prediction is we see a good game from Miami’s offense. However, the Heat’s offense hasn’t come around yet, and the absence of Dragic is playing a role in that.

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