Miami Heat at Charlotte Bobcats
Time: 7 PM ET, Apr 28, 2014
TV: TNT
Spread: MIA -8
M/L: MIA -400; CHA +300
Total: 188
Betting odds courtesy of Bovada
This series has been of little surprise to most NBA fans. The 7th seeded Bobcats are happy to be back in the playoffs, but very few people ventured to give the Cats a chance against the two-time defending champion Miami Heat.
Game three went about par for the series, as the Heat won 98-85 behind 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists from LeBron James. Even at home, NBA oddsmakers still aren’t giving the Bobcats much of a chance, setting the line 8 points in favor of James and the Heat.
Truly, only two Bobcats played well in game three: Al Jefferson and reserve Chris Douglas-Roberts. Jefferson scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, but the Bobcats have to get more looks for its premier player. Jefferson’s back to the basket game opens it up for the Cats shooters.
Charlotte did shoot the ball well from behind the arc in game three, connecting on 7-of-18. Inexcusable, however, was being out rebounded by the Heat, the NBA’s worst rebounding team. Jefferson was largely to blame as the center had just five rebounds in 30 minutes of play.
The Heat are in cruise mode, though. Only James had a big game in game three, yet the Heat manhandled the Bobcats. Dwyane Wade had 17 points, but only one other Heat player reached double figures (Chris Andersen, 12).
Perplexingly, Chris Bosh attempted just seven shots, hitting three. It’s not as though any of these things are warning flags for a team up 3-0 in the series, but it just shows that even with two of its three stars playing below their normal level, the Bobcats are still no match in this series. Miami will close it out with a sweep tonight, as NBA oddsmakers predict.
MIA Trends: 0-4 ATS in last 4 following ATS win; 0-4 ATS in last 4 following SU win of more than 10 points; 1-4 ATS in last 5 games following SU win.
CHA Trends: 5-0 ATS in last 5 following SU loss of more than 10 points; UNDER 4-0 in last 4 home games vs teams with winning road records; UNDER 5-0 in last 5 Monday games.
Head-to-head: Heat 5-0 ATS in last 5 meetings in Charlotte; OVER 5-1 in last 6 meetings; UNDER 5-1 in last 6 meetings in Charlotte.
