Pacers Heat Game 3 Betting Odds
Carrie Stroup here with your Pacers Heat Game 3 betting odds for Saturday’s big NBA Eastern Conference Finals game. All odds courtesy of Sportsbook.com. Place your 1st bet, get your 2nd bet for free here.
INDIANA PACERS (65-32) at MIAMI HEAT (63-30)
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Miami -7 & 183.5
The Heat look to build on Tuesday's victory over the Pacers when the Eastern Conference Finals shifts to South Beach for a pivotal Game 3 on Saturday night.
Miami was able to take Game 2 by shooting 51% FG and 40% threes (8-of-20), while producing seven steals and six blocks, which was much more than Indiana's six steals and two blocks. The Pacers stayed in the game with excellent long-range shooting (47.4%) which dwarfed what they shot from inside the arc (37.7%). But Indiana did have the edge in rebounding (41-38), including a significant 16-6 advantage on the offensive glass. With Tuesday's outcome, the Heat hold a 15-11 SU advantage in the past three seasons in this series with the teams an even 13-13 ATS in those contests. But this series has been very lopsided in South Beach, as the Pacers are just 3-15 SU (7-11 ATS) in their past 18 visits to AmericanAirlines Arena.
Indiana was a completely different team in Game 2 than it was in Game 1, as the club was not getting the same efficient production and balance from its starting unit with a virtually non-existent bench that scored only nine points on 3-of-13 shooting. SG Lance Stephenson (21.0 PPG, 7.5 APG, 5.0 RPG in series) has been the best player for the Pacers in this series while serving as the team’s primary playmaker, finding his teammates for easy buckets when he’s not knocking down his jumpers. Stephenson has also played some very solid defense for his team. SF Paul George (19.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.5 RPG in series) really struggled in Game 2, scoring just 14 points (4-of-16 FG) in 43 minutes. George took a knee to the back of his head in the fourth quarter of the loss, and suffered a concussion, leaving him questionable for Game 3. If the All-Star is unable to play on Saturday, it will be a huge loss for a Pacers team that really struggles to score, even at full strength. C Roy Hibbert (15.5 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG in series) continues to be a major presence for Indiana, while Miami does not have the size to bang with Hibbert down low. The big man finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2. The Pacers would be wise to establish their All-Star center early in Game 3 in order to dictate the pace of the game. PF David West (14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.5 APG in series) has been the rock of consistency throughout these playoffs, but played poorly in Game 2 with just 10 points (5-of-16 FG) and six rebounds, and his team will need him to get back on track early in Game 3.
The Heat picked up a huge road win in Game 2 and have now taken back home-court advantage in the series. SF LeBron James (23.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.5 SPG in series) had his fingerprints all over the Game 2 win, finishing with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. James was also ferocious on defense, ending up with three blocks and two steals in his 42 minutes of play. James will need to continue to make plays going to the rim in Game 3 if the Heat are going to take the lead in the series. James, however, was not out there alone, as SG Dwyane Wade (25.0 PPG, 4.5 APG in series) has looked like his former self for the Heat. Wade had 23 points (10-of-16 FG), five assists and five rebounds in just 34 minutes of play in the Game 2 victory, and Miami will look to keep feeding Wade while he is scoring this efficiently. PF Chris Bosh (9.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG in series) has been a no-show for Miami in this series and that absolutely must change if the Heat are going to advance to the NBA Finals. Bosh had just nine points and six rebounds in 35 minutes of Game 2. He is shooting horribly from the outside this series (1-of-9 threes) and should look to establish himself around the basket in Game 3 in order to gain some confidence. PG Norris Cole (5.5 PPG in series) played some huge minutes off the bench for the Heat in Game 2, finishing the game with 11 points (3-of-4 FG, 2-of-2 threes) and two assists in just 27 minutes of play. Miami desperately needed somebody to provide some offense off the bench in that game and Cole delivered. He should get a bump in minutes in Game 3 after his performance, especially considering how poorly starting PG Mario Chalmers has played this series. He has just 6.0 PPG on 31% FG with 4.0 APG and 2.5 TOPG.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
