The Cleveland Cavaliers fly to Florida to meet the Miami Heat, in a match in which they stand as complete underdogs. Hosts have three wins in a row, and look to extend that streak, while on the other side, the Cavs recorded four consecutive defeats and are near the bottom of the league.
Miami Heat Rallies Back Again, Take a 2-0 Lead Against the Celtics, 106-101
Cleveland Cavaliers (17-31, TBA)
After winning against Chicago on the road, things looked well for the Cavs, who just posted two wins in three events. But after that, JB Bickerstaff’s team lost four consecutive contests, to the Lakers, Kings, Jazz (all on the road), and the 76ers at home in the last event.
Boston Celtics Extend the Series, Make a Big Rally in Game 5 Against the Heat, 121-108
In all these games, they allowed 100 or more points, while on the other side, scoring 98 the most, and twice even under 90. So, they are pretty bad on both ends of the floor.
Collin Sexton leads the way in this unit with 23.9 points, but with just 4.2 assists and 2.9 boards, which is not enough to be an elite guard in the league these days.
Miami Heat (25-24, TBA)
Erik Spoelstra’s side had a busy trade deadline, landing several players, the biggest one being Victor Oladipo. He didn’t get the start as planned, scoring just 6 points in the latest game and a win against the Warriors, 116-109, but as time goes by, the athletic guard will be more than useful.
The Heat have three wins in a row, the initial two against the Knicks and the Pacers away from home. That pair of games saw under 190 points each, indicating that when Miami wins they usually do it because of good defense.
Spoelstra’s side plays the next three matches, including this one, at the American Airlines Arena, and they need to win all of them to keep themselves in contention for the playoffs.
Head to Head Games
The previous game ended 113-98 for the Heat, and it took place in Miami on March 16. Jimmy Butler dropped 28 points, while Collin Sexton had 21 for the guests.
Prediction and Pick
This is one of the must-win matches for the Heat, who are in a desperate position regarding the playoff chase. The East champs are barely above the .500, and are looking for a way to extend the winning series and improve the situation in the standings.
Now, there isn’t a better way to do that than against the Cavs, one of the worst teams in the conference and the league, and be sure that the hosts won’t have mercy in this event. They will probably win by a double-digit margin.
Jimmy Butler Drops 40, Miami Heat Victorious Against Milwaukee Bucks, 115-104
-->Pick: Miami -10
