The Miami Heat (19-17) travel to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers (13-24) on Saturday, January 11th. This game will be played at Moda Center in Portland and televised on KATU. The Heat are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Trail Blazers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Trail Blazers. Tip-off is set for 10:00 ET.

Heat vs Trail Blazers

The Heat Are Coming Off A Win

The Heat improved to 19-17 on the season with a 97-92 win over the Jazz on Thursday. Miami was favored by 5.5 points but didn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total of 189 points was well below the 221-point line.

Miami’s defense stepped up in the 2nd quarter, holding Utah to 14 points while scoring 26. After falling behind again in the 3rd, the Heat rallied in the 4th, outscoring the Jazz 29-22 to seal the win.

The Trail Blazers Are Coming Off A Win

Portland’s season record dropped to 13-24 following a 117-111 road loss to the Mavericks on Thursday. The Blazers entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and managed to cover the spread, losing by six. The total score of 228 points exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 220.5 by 7.5 points.

Portland led 89-81 going into the 4th quarter, but Dallas took control with a 16-0 run, turning a 109-101 deficit into a 117-109 lead. The Blazers started strong, leading 28-20 after the 1st quarter, but couldn’t hold off the Mavericks, who outscored them 36-22 in the final period.

Heat Offense Breakdown

The Heat’s offense struggled in their win over the Jazz, shooting just 39.6% from the field and 28% from three-point range. Despite the shooting woes, they connected on 14 threes, with Tyler Herro hitting 4 at a 44.4% clip.

Herro led Miami with 23 points and 7 rebounds, scoring 8 points in the 4th quarter. Jaime Jaquez added 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 63.6% from the field and making 3 threes at 60% efficiency.

Trail Blazers Offense Breakdown

In Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks, the Trail Blazers shot 41.9% from the field, but connected on 16 threes at a 44.4% clip. Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons each scored 22 points, with Simons hitting 4 threes and Sharpe making 3 at 50% from deep.

Scoot Henderson added 20 points, hitting 50% of his threes, while Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan each contributed 11 points. Simons scored 8 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters, and added 6 more in the 4th.

Heat Team Defense

Defensively, the Heat were at their best in the 2nd quarter, holding the Jazz to just 14 points, and they finished strong by allowing only 22 points in the 4th. Overall, they gave up 92 points on 39% shooting from the field.

Miami did a great job defending the three, as Utah hit just 11 threes at a 30% clip. The Heat also recorded 10 steals and 7 blocks in the game.

Trail Blazers Team Defense

The Heat put on a defensive clinic in the 2nd quarter, holding the Jazz to just 14 points, and they were strong in the 4th as well, giving up only 22 points to secure the win. Overall, Miami allowed 92 points on 39% shooting from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Heat limited the Jazz to 11 threes on 30% shooting. They also sent Utah to the line 17 times, where they made 15 free throws. Defensively, Miami recorded 10 steals and 7 blocks.

Heat vs Trail Blazers Trends

• Through their last ten road games, Miami has an ATS record of just 3-7. However, their overall record was 4-6 while averaging 107 points per game.
• Portland has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 111 points per game while allowing 110. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Trail Blazers have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-1.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Heat have a straight up record of 6-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-6.

Heat vs Trail Blazers Prediction

The Trail Blazers come in as the underdog at +4, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 219.5 and our model has the Heat and Trail Blazers finishing with a combined 252 points. Our pick is to take the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.