Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Picks & Predictions 1/2/2019

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Quicken Loans Arena

Get todays NBA odds and lines on this game.

The Miami Heat head to Quicken Loans Arena to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, January 2, 2019. The opening line for this game has Miami as 5.5 point favorites.

The Heat head into this matchup with a mark of 17-18. They are 2nd in the Southeast Division. They have a point differential of 0.5 as they average 106.7 points per contest while giving up 106.1 per game. The Cavaliers have an overall mark of 8-29. They currently are 5th in the Central Division. They total 102.3 points per contest and give up 111.3, which is a point differential of -9.0.

Valuable Miami Heat Betting Trends

The Miami Heat are 19-15-1 against the spread this season

The Miami Heat are 19-15-0 against the over/under this year

Important Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Trends

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 18-19-0 against the spread this season

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 17-19-0 against the over/under this year

Key Miami Heat Injuries

12/31/18 G Dion Waiters Ankle is upgraded to questionable Wednesday vs Cleveland
12/19/18 PG Goran Dragic Knee is out indefinitely
01/01/19 F James Johnson Illness is upgraded to probable Wednesday vs Cleveland

Key Cleveland Cavaliers Injuries

12/31/18 G Rodney Hood Achilles is questionable Wednesday vs Miami
12/31/18 F Tristan Thompson Foot is questionable Wednesday vs Miami
11/26/18 G JR Smith Possible Trade is out indefinitely
11/16/18 F John Henson Wrist is out indefinitely
10/29/18 F Kevin Love Foot is out indefinitely

Player Spotlight

Hassan Whiteside comes into this game averaging 13.0 points per contest while playing 26.4 minutes per night this year. He grabs 12.8 rebounds per contest and distributes 0.9 assists per game. His FG percentage is 52% while his free throw percentage is 44%. Josh Richardson averages 18.4 points per contest in 35.1 minutes per game. He averages 3.7 assists per game and 3.9 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 41% for the season while his free throw percentage is 86%.

Player Spotlight

Jordan Clarkson scores 17.1 points per contest while playing 26.6 minutes per game. He hauls in 3.5 rebounds per contest and has 2.3 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 45% and his free throw percentage is at 86%. Rodney Hood averages 12.9 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 28.2 minutes per game. He also brings in 2.4 rebounds per game and has 2.1 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 44% and his free throw percentage is 89%.

Useful Team Statistics

Miami averages 106.7 points per contest, which is 25th in the league. Their average scoring margin is 0.5 and their shooting percentage is 44% as a unit, which has them ranked 28th. From 3-point territory they shoot 36%, which is good for 10th in the NBA. They average 47.6 boards per contest and 23.0 assists per game, which ranks them 4th and 21st in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 13th with 14.4 per game. The Heat allow 106.1 points per contest, which is 7th in the NBA. They also surrender a 44% shooting percentage and a 36% average from 3-point range, ranking them 3rd and 18th in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 45.2 rebounds a game which ranks 18th, and they allow 21.7 assists per game which puts them in 2nd place in the league. They force 13.7 turnovers per game which ranks them 13th in the NBA.

Useful Team Statistics

Cleveland is 28th in the NBA with 102.3 points per contest this season. They are 26th in the league in shooting at 44%, while their average scoring margin is -9.03. They shoot 35% from beyond the arc, which is good for 20th in the league. They are 24th in the NBA in rebounding with 43.6 boards per contest and 30th in assists per game with 19.9. The Cavaliers are 27th in turnovers per contest with 12.8. The Cavaliers give up 111.3 points per game, which ranks them 19th in the league. Their defense surrenders a 49% shooting percentage and a 36% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 30th and 19th in those defensive statistics. They rank 15th with 24.0 dimes allowed per game and 7th with 43.4 boards surrendered per contest. The Cavaliers are 1st in the league in forcing turnovers with 11.8 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Heat are 22nd in the league in defensive rating with 107.4, and their offensive rating of 108 is ranked 7th. They are 21st in the NBA in pace with 98.5 possessions per 48 minutes, and their eFG% of 50% is 26th. As a unit they are 26th in the league in true shooting percentage with 53% and they shoot 3-pointers on 38% of their shot attempts, ranking 8th in the NBA. Miami is 12th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12.6 times per 100 possessions while forcing 12.3 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 50%, which is 29th in the NBA.

Advanced Statistics

Cleveland is 25th in the NBA in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 11.7 times per 100 possessions while forcing 10.9 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 55%, which is 1st in the league. The Cavaliers are 23rd in the NBA in offensive rating with 107, and their defensive rating of 116.4 is ranked 30th. In terms of pace they are 29th in the league with 95.6 possessions per 48 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 49% is 28th. As a team they are 28th in the NBA in true shooting percentage with 53% and they shoot 3-pointers on 29% of their shots, ranking 27th in the league.

Who will win tonight's Heat/Cavaliers NBA game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take Miami -5.5

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