NBA: Miami Heat vs Utah Jazz Prediction 12/30/2023
PublishedDecember 30, 2023,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:December 30, 2023 , ,

NBA: Miami Heat vs Utah Jazz Prediction 12/30/2023

The Miami Heat (19-12) travel to face off against the Utah Jazz (13-19) on Saturday, December 30th. This game will be played at Delta Center. The Heat are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Jazz are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Warriors. Tip-off is set for 5:00 ET.

Heat vs Jazz

The Heat Are Coming Off A Winmiami heat

In the game against the Warriors, Tyler Herro was the top scorer for Miami, recording 26 points. His field goal percentage for the game was 48.4%. Jamal Cain also contributed 18 points as the Heat won by a score of 114-102 vs. the Warriors.

The Heat, who are 19-12 overall, are looking to extend their four game winning streak. In their 10-6 road record, the Heat are 9-6 at home.

The Heat are riding a four game ATS win streak and currently possess an overall ATS record of 15-15. This season, Miami has a 8-9 record against the spread when they are favored, and they are 7-6 when playing as underdogs.

The Jazz Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Jazz is coming off a loss to the Pelicans in their latest game, ending with a score of 112-105. The Jazz may have lost the game outright, but they did succeed in covering the spread as +8.5 point underdogs. In terms of the over/under, the combined 217 points was below the over/under line of 239.5.

In the Western Conference, the Jazz are currently 4th in the Northwest division and their overall record is 13-19. Over their last three games, they have gone 2-1 and their current conference rank is 12th.

Utah comes in with an overall ATS record of 18-14 so far this season. The Jazz are currently on a two game ATS win streak when they are the favorite, and they hold a 14-13 record against the spread as underdogs.

Heat Offense Breakdown

Through 31 games the Heat are averaging 113.4 points per contest, placing them 19th in the NBA. So far, the Heat are averaging 96.7 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. Even though the Heat are one of the more efficient 3-point shooting teams in the NBA at 39%, their slower-style of play may be holding back the team’s offense from fully taking off.

Jazz Offense Breakdown

Through 32 games the Jazz are averaging 113.3 points per contest, placing them 20th in the NBA. The Jazz come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 13.3 made 3’s per game. If the Jazz offense is going to improve, they could look to play at a faster tempo, as they currently average just 99.1 possession per game. This could benefit the team as they are currently one of the better 3-point shooting units in the NBA.

Heat Team Defense

Currently, the Heat’s defense holds the 7th rank in the NBA, allowing 111.5 points per game. In the terms of takeaways, Heat are causing 12.4 turnovers per game, ranking 7th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 30th in rejections, averaging 3.1 blocked shots each game.

Jazz Team Defense

On defense, the Jazz are ranked 24th in the NBA this season. So far, they have given up more points than the NBA scoring average in 56.2% of their games. Opponents are hitting 55.8% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they’re also connecting on 37.9% of their three-point attempts.

Key Players For The Heat And Jazz

Our game forecasts for today suggest that Tyler Herro is set to be the main scorer for the Heat, recording 22 points and shooting 8/17 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 24.2 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Lauri Markkanen as the leading scorer for the Jazz. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 18 while also collecting 7 rebounds. This season, he is shooting at a field goal percentage of 49.3%, and his scoring average is 24 points per game.

Heat vs Jazz Trends

  • Although Miami has a straight up record of 7-3 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 6-3-1. The team averaged 110 points per game in these games.
  • In their last ten games at home, the Jazz have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 6-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 112 points per game in this stretch.
  • As the betting underdog, the Jazz have an ATS mark of just 6-4 in their last ten games. Utah posted a straight up mark of 5-5 in these matchups.
  • Miami has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.

Heat vs Jazz Prediction

The Heat is our selection to secure the victory, with a projected score of 115-107. We also like them to cover the spread, so we suggest betting on the Heat at -1.5.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 227 and given that our model is projecting 222 points between the teams, we like the under.

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

* 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.