The Miami Heat will battle the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. Both of these teams are preparing for a playoff run.
Heat Try to Gain Momentum
The Heat had an intense matchup their last time out with the Indiana Pacers, and it looks like they might play them again in the first round.
But head coach Eric Spoelstra doesn’t want to look ahead too much.
“You can get caught up in all that,” Spoelstra said. “We’re trying to get our guys together, get in rhythm, get prepared for the playoffs. We’re not even certain we’ll play Indiana, so you have to proceed and do what you think is best for the team.”
The biggest thing for them was Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic returning from injuries. Butler is the leader of this team, and he has to play well for this team to have success.
Bam Adebayo is one of the most improved players in the league and will likely be up for that award after this season. He is a force down low, averaging over 10 rebounds per game.
They are 3-3 in the bubble and could be trouble for other Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs. Games down the stretch, such as this one, will be key for their confidence when it really matters.
Oklahoma City’s Chances
The Thunder have had some success with their new point guard, Chris Paul. He is averaging 17.7 points per game, along with 6.8 assists.
They are currently the fifth seed in the Western Conference but could catch Houston for fourth. However, these two will face each other in the playoffs one way or the other, so it doesn’t matter much since there is now home-court advantage.
They need to work on continuing to score, as they will have to face the powerful offense that Houston has. In this game, they will have the job of trying to limit Butler’s opportunities. That will be a good warm-up to James Harden.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a star for Oklahoma City. He leads the team with 19.1 points per game this season. His play often correlates to whether or not they stay competitive in the game.
Aside from Paul, this team doesn’t have the star power that many other teams in the NBA have. But they have some scrappy young guys that can give teams problems.
Prediction
This game doesn’t mean a whole lot for either of these teams, so it gets a little harder to call. Some teams are starting to rest their best players if their playoff spot is secure.
However, Butler and Dragic have just returned to the floor for the Heat. I believe they will want to get back in the groove before the playoffs begin.
Miami is a 3.5-point favorite in this one. I like them to cover the spread and come out with a win.
Pick: Miami Heat -3.5