The Miami Heat (40-33) travel to face off against the Washington Wizards (14-60) on Sunday, March 31st. This game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington and televised on MNMT. The Heat are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Wizards are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Trail Blazers. Tip-off is set for 6:00 ET.
Heat vs Wizards
The Heat Are Coming Off A Win
Most recently, the Heat bested the Trail Blazers with a score of 142-82. The Heat not only won the game but also covered the spread as -14.5-point favorites. The over/under line entering this matchup was 208.5 points, and both teams achieved a total score that exceeded that line.
In their most recent stretch, the Heat have gone 3-2 and have an overall record of 40-33. When playing on the road, the Heat are 21-16 compared to their 19-17 record at home this season.
Miami’s ATS record is currently below .500 at 34-36 for the season. Miami has gone 18-20 against the spread this season when they are the favorites, and they are 16-16 when playing as underdogs.
The Wizards Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
The Wizards’ most recent matchup against the Pistons saw Corey Kispert lead the Wizards with 23 points while shooting 9/12 from the field. While Deni Avdija was 2nd on the team with 18 points, Washington fell short in the game with a final score of 96-87.
Coming into their matchup with the Heat, the Wizards have a 14-60 record and are hoping to end their two-game losing skid. In the Eastern Conference, the Wizards are 14th and are 5th in the Southeast division.
Washington arrives with an ATS record of 33-40 for the season up to this point. This season, Washington has a 1-6 record against the spread when they are favored, and they are 32-34 when playing as underdogs.
Heat Offense Breakdown
Miami has recorded an average of 109.8 points per game (27th) throughout 73 games games.
On the season, the Heat are 27th in scoring at 109.8 points per game. However, they have been better at home, averaging 112.5 points compared to 107.1 on the road. In terms of pace, Miami is 29th in the league at 95.7 possessions per game.
When it comes to shooting, the Heat are 22nd in field goal percentage at 46%. They have been better from three-point range, hitting 37% of their attempts (11th). In terms of free throws, Miami is 10th in makes (17.9) and 13th in attempts (22.1) per game.
Looking at their offensive rebounding, the Heat are 27th in the NBA at 9.4 per game. In terms of assists, Miami is 21st in the league with an average of 25.8 per game.
Wizards Offense Breakdown
The Wizards come into today’s game as the 17th ranked scoring offense at 113.4 points per game.
At 113.4 points per game, the Wizards’ offense is ranked 17th in the NBA. They have been slightly better on the road, averaging 114.1 points compared to 112.6 at home (16th).
Washington’s offense is known for its pace, leading the league at 102.2 possessions per game. They are also 1st in two-point attempts and 8th in two-point field goal percentage (54%).
So far, the Wizards have outscored the league average in just 43.2% of their games. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 17th at 46% and 23rd in true shooting percentage.
Heat Team Defense
This season, the Heat defense has been impressive, holding the 4th position in the league while permitting an average of 108.5 points per contest. On two point field goal attempts, the Heat’s defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 55.2% and allowing 36.0% from beyond the arc.
Wizards Team Defense
Looking at the Wizards defense, they will be looking for a better performance considering they are currently conceding 123.0 points per game (30th). In terms of two point field goal attempts, the Wizards defense has allowed a shooting percentage of 57.4% while allowing 36.0% from downtown.
Key Players For The Heat And Wizards
In today’s game, we anticipate Jimmy Butler leading the scoring for the Heat, contributing 21 points while shooting 7/13 from the field. During this season, he is delivering an average of 21.1 points per game, along with 5.3 rebounds.
On the opposing side, we anticipate Kyle Kuzma to be the top scorer for the Wizards. Our projection has him finishing the game with 23, and he is expected to secure 7 rebounds. Throughout the season, he has maintained a 46.3% field goal shooting rate and is averaging 22.3 points per game.
Heat vs Wizards Trends
- Across their three previous road games, Miami has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-1 while averaging 100 points per game.
- Across the Wizards last three home games, the team averaged 108 points per game while allowing 122. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
- In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Wizards have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 3-2.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Heat have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 8-2.
Heat vs Wizards Prediction
When looking to get a point-spread pick down in this Heat vs. Wizards game, our recommendation is to take the Wizards at +10.5. Despite our model showing the Heat winning 112-109, we like Wizards as our point-spread pick.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 217, and our model predicts the Heat and Wizards to score a combined 221 points. We recommend betting on the over.
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.
Last updated:March 31, 2024 Heat, Wizards