Dwight Howard: Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat Inside the Amway Center

Miami Heat at Orlando Magic
Tuesday, 3/13/12, 7:00 PM EST, TV: NBA TV
Opening Point Spread: Miami -4
Current Betting Line: Miami -4.5
Opening Total: 189.5
Current Total: 189.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Orlando Magic are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 meetings with the Miami Heat

Miami opens up a three-game road trip on Tuesday night in taking on the Orlando Magic and comes off a 93-91 win over the Indiana Pacers as 9.5-point home favorites on Saturday. The Heat have won three games in a row and 12 of their last 14, as they seek to capture the third meeting in the 2011-12 series between these two Eastern Conference rivals. It’s important to note that Miami dropped a 102-89 decision in its first trip to Orlando this season as 3.5-point favorites on Feb. 8. Miami is 4-3 ATS as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points and the “over” is 5-0 in that situation.

The Heat are 13-7 on the road this season, including a 10-2 mark versus Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is 46-43 all-time against Orlando, including a 20-25 mark when playing away from South Beach. A win tonight would give the team a 32-9 overall record, marking the best 41-game start in franchise history. Bettors will find that 11 of the team’s last 13 wins have come by a double-digit margin.

Orlando has won four of its last five games and will look to complete a perfect two game homestand in this affair. The Magic are led by the play of All-Star center Dwight Howard, who is averaging a team-high 21.1 points and league-best 15.0 rebounds per game. He must maintain his focus in this high-profile matchup, as trade rumors continue to swirl around the franchise due to Howard being in the last year of his current contract. Orlando is 6-4 ATS as an underdog this year and the “under” is 5-4 in that situation.

The Magic are 14-7 inside the Amway Center this season and have registered an impressive 134-51 mark in front of their home fans during four-plus years under head coach Stan Van Gundy. Orlando is averaging just 94.2 points per game this season, which is drastically down from the 99.2 points it scored during the 2010-11 campaign. Offensively, the team still relies heavily on the 3-point shot, ranking fourth in the league in shooting 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.