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The Miami Heat had dropped to No. 18 on the Sagarin Ratings but were still a few games above the .500 mark and do return some top players from the injury list.
January 8
Miami Heat are 6-0 versus the Rockets in their last six. At home in three of the last four, Miami beat the Rockets by double digits. The line here was coming in at -4 to -4.5.
Miami returns from a grueling 5-game road trip, winning two of those games.
Houston is winning just under 25% of their road games this season.
Dillon Brooks is out for Houston in this game. He is one of their top perimeter defenders.
December 22
We should begin seeing some good value with the Heat as top stars return off the injured list. Among them, Tyler Herro, who scored 28 points in his second game back from an ankle sprain that had him sitting out 18 games. Herro scored 25 points in a loss to Minnesota on Monday in his return.
"(Tyler) is relentless with his work," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "That's what you really have to appreciate about Tyler. ... This is a lot harder than he has made it look. He has played two very efficient games. It's not just the stat line. He's doing a lot of winning things."
Center Bam Adebeyo, who had missed seven games with a left hip contusion, is also back and averaging 20 points and 6.5 rebounds in two games since his return.
Jimmy Butler will be out of Friday's game with a calf strain.
Kevin Love missed Wednesday's game in Orlando with a stomach illness but is expected to return Friday.
November 23
The Knicks host the Heat Friday night with the line opening at New York -3 and quickly shooting up to -5.5.
Miami comes into this game with a 10-5 record Straight Up and 7-8 Against The Spread. They won nine of their last ten games. They've covered the spread in six of their last eight.
The Heat continued their November surge Wednesday by beating the host Cleveland Cavaliers, 129-96 and they will be up against a Knicks team that's been off since Monday night.
Dru Smith (knee) is out for Miami. Bam Adebayo (hip) and Duncan Robinson (right thumb sprain) are both listed as questionable. Kevin Love (personal reasons) returns to the team.
We get a number of 3.11. The line opened on the money. Dogs have performed especially well in the 3/3.5 range this season (25-7).
Miami is 5-3 in the last eight games against the Knicks but are 1-3 in New York over the last four meetings. Using the current spread, the Heat are 7-3 Against The Spread.
The Heat do have an edge here.
NBA Power Rankings
"With Tyler Herro out with a right ankle sprain since Nov. 8, all Miami has done is go 5-1. Of course, the victories were over the Hawks, Spurs, Hornets, Nets and Bulls, but Duncan Robinson, inserted back into the starting lineup, has made the most of his opportunities. In six games, Robinson has averaged 20 points per game while shooting 49.0% from deep on 8.5 attempts per game. After he struggled last season, and found himself out of the rotation, Robinson's three-point percentage is above 40.0% for the first time since 2020-21." -- Andrew Lopez, ESPN
- Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
