Los Angeles Clippers vs. Miami Heat (12/8 @ 7:30 PM EST.)
Spread: Miami (-6)
Total: 213.5
Overview and Betting Info
The 14-12 L.A. Clippers travel to Miami to take on the 11-14 Heat in a Thursday night game.
The Clippers are in third place in the Pacific Division behind the 16-9 Phoenix Suns and the 13-10 Sacramento Kings.
The Heat are tied for second place in the Southeast Division along with the 11-14 Washington Wizards just two games behind the division leading 13-12 Atlanta Hawks.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are on the second day of back-to-back Florida games. They lost to the Orlando Magic on December 7 in overtime by the score of 116-111. Though the Clippers jumped out to an 18-point lead in the first quarter, the Clippers could not score a single point in the final three minutes of regulation forcing overtime.
The issue for the Clippers is rest for the starters in these back-to-back games. For that reason, it is unclear if Kawhi Leonard or Paul George will play on Thursday night.
Miami Heat
As for the Heat, it has been the Bam Adebayo show thus far in 2022. Adebayo, the Heat’s 6’9” center, leads the team in scoring and rebounding. He averages 20.7 points and 9.2 rebounds. On the injury front, Jimmy Butler may not be able to play against the Clippers due to knee soreness.
The Heat lost three out of their last four games. The game they won during that four-game span was a nail-biting overtime win, 120-116, over Boston on December 2. The last two games were blowout losses to Memphis and a 116-96 loss to the Detroit Pistons on December 6.
Free Pick: Under 213.5
Both teams are trying to right the ship during losing streaks. Though they have not consistently played up to expectations, both need a win to stay in their respective division races.
Though Miami is the favorite to win this game, the Heat have not beaten a team by more than 6.5 points since November 27 when they beat the Atlanta Hawks by the score of 106-98. Both the Clippers and Heat can put up over 213.5 points collectively, however, the Under 213.5 is the recommended choice given the injury issues and back-to-back scheduling for the Clippers.
