The Miami Heat continue their West Coast trip with a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. The Heat, mired in controversy with the suspension of star guard Jimmy Butler, are 19-17 on the season and have won two of their first three games on this trip. The Blazers return home after a decent road trip that saw them finish 2-3 but were competitive throughout. The opening tap for this inter-conference matchup is scheduled for 10:10 pm EST. Read on to find out more about this Heat vs. Blazers prediction.
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Read on for the prediction of the Heat/Blazers game.
Miami hanging tough
As turmoil swirls around the team off the court, the Miami Heat keep finding ways to win on the court. Star guard/forward Jimmy Butler remains on the sidelines but his teammates have now won two of their last three games following a 97-92 win at Utah on Thursday night. Tyler Herro continued his stellar season with 23 points and Jaime Jaquez scored 20 including five in the final minute as the Heat survived the Jazz on the road. The win was extra sweet for Miami after getting blasted at home, 136-100, by the Jazz a week earlier in the first game of Butler's suspension.
The Heat continue to play without star Jimmy Butler, who is suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. The Heat have yet to find a trade partner for Butler and don't seem to be in any particular hurry to do so. The Heat have played well despite his absence, including two wins in their last three games on this West Coast trip. The Heat are 21st in the NBA in scoring this season. They are 20th in field goal shooting and 11th in 3-point shooting thus far. Miami is 8th in the NBA in fewest turnovers per game this season and ranks 15th in offensive efficiency. Defensively, Miami is 7th in scoring defense on the season. The Heat rank 11th in field goal defense and 13th in 3-point defense. They come in at 14th in the league in forced turnovers per game and 11th in defensive efficiency. The Heat are 18th in the NBA in total rebounds per game.
Key Injuries: PF Kevin Love is a game-time decision. SF Jimmy Butler and G Dru Smith are out.
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Blazers on the rise
The Portland Trail Blazers wrapped up their road trip on Thursday with a 117-111 loss to the Mavericks in Dallas. The Blazers shot just 42 percent from the field overall but 44 percent from 3-point range to keep this one close. The Blazers actually led the game by 10 points with under five minutes to go but the Mavericks' defense stiffened and pulled away with the win. Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe led the way for the Blazers with 22 points each and Scoot Henderson gave the Blazlers 20 points off the bench including 12-of-12 from the free throw line.
The Blazers have been playing better recently and come into this game after a 2-3 road trip that included an upset win in Milwaukee. They are now ranked 25th in the NBA in scoring this season. They are 22nd in field goal shooting and 26th in 3-point shooting. The Blazers are 24th in 3-point field goals made per game. The Blazers are 26th in turnovers per game this season and 26th in the league in offensive efficiency. On the defensive end, the Blazers are 23rd in scoring defense. They are 27th in the league in field goal defense and 26th in 3-point defense. Portland is 9th in the NBA in forced turnovers and ranks 26th in defensive efficiency. They are 20th in the NBA in total rebounds per game.
Key Injuries: SF Jerami Grant and SG Matisse Thybulle are game-time decisions. C Robert Williams III is out.
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Best Bets for Miami Heat vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
The Heat are playing better but are winding up a long trip on the road. This trip proved timely given all the, excuse the pun, heat at home given the turmoil surrounding Butler's suspension. The Blazers return home after a solid trip that saw their offense come alive in the five-game trip. They scored 115 or more points in each of their last three games. That should keep them in this game against a Heat team that is missing their second-best scorer and winding down a long trip. Miami will likely play like a team ready to go home while the Blazers will play like a team glad to be home. This one has upset written all over it and I'm backing the home team that is scoring well at the moment.
Take the Blazers with the points.
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
I'm not expecting the same kind of defensive intensity that the Heat usually provide in this game. They're road-weary and ready to head home while also playing a team that is scoring well at the moment, particularly from beyond the arc. The Heat have steadied things a bit over the last two games but did allow nearly 130 points per game in their first two games without Butler. The Blazers won't score that many points but they'll put up a good number and help push this game over the number.
Take the over.
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