Miami Heat at Los Angeles Clippers
Wednesday, 1/11/12, 10:30 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Miami -4
Current Betting Line: Miami -4
Opening Total: 202.5
Current Total: 203.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Miami certainly let one get away last night in dropping a 111-106 overtime affair to the Golden State Warriors as nine-point road favorites. “We got a couple good looks and they just didn’t go through,” stated Heat forward LeBron James. He finished the game with 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. The Heat are 29-17 all-time versus the Los Angeles Clippers, including a 13-10 mark on the road. Miami is 11-3 ATS as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points over the last two-plus seasons.
The Heat are averaging 50.0 points in the paint this season, compared to just 35.4 points for their opponents. Miami is averaging a league-high 108.1 points per game and holding opponents to only 98.0 points. The team’s +10.1 point differential is second-best in the NBA, as the team paces the league in shooting 49.8 percent from the field. Shooting guard Dwyane Wade was back on the court last night after missing three games with a foot injury, finishing up with a season-high 34 points.
Los Angeles had its three-game win streak snapped by the Portland Trail Blazers last night, dropping a 105-97 decision as 5.5-point road underdogs. The Clippers will be completing their first back-to-back set of this unusual season, as they’ve won eight of their last 10 games inside the Staples Center. Power forward Blake Griffin leads the team in scoring 23.7 points per game, as he joins Minnesota’s Kevin Love as the only other player to be averaging 23-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. Los Angeles is 18-24 ATS when playing on back-to-back days the last two-plus seasons.
The Clippers have done a fantastic job in defending James in their meetings, limiting him to 23.1 points per game, which is his lowest scoring average versus any NBA team. Los Angeles point guard Chris Paul is a good friend of James off the court, but he has lost six of 11 meetings against him. He’s averaged 16.2 points and 9.5 assists in those contests. The former New Orleans Hornets star has averaged 17.0 points and 10.7 assists in 11 career games versus the Heat.
Bettors will likely back the Clippers due to their 16-7 ATS mark at home versus winning road teams, while the Heat are 1-4-1 ATS versus Western Conference foes.
Don’t miss out on a winning season and let the NBA handicappers at Maddux Sports line your pockets with cash. Long term packages are available now!
