Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat
Tuesday, 2/7/12, 7:30 PM EST, TV: SUN
Opening Point Spread: Miami -13
Current Betting Line: Miami -13.5
Opening Total: 197.5
Current Total: 198.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Cleveland will meet up with the Miami Heat for the second time during the 2011-12 season, looking to gain revenge in dropping a 92-85 contest as 13.5-point road underdogs on Jan. 24. The Cavaliers enter with a respectable 9-13 record when considering they won just 19 games a year ago, with rookie point guard Kyrie Irving getting the most attention. He is averaging a team-high 18.1 points, while also leading all rookies in scoring and field goal percentage. The team will be playing the first game of a back-to-back situation, heading home to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Cleveland is 8-5 ATS on the road and the “under” is 7-6 in those contests.
The Cavaliers have covered three of the last four in this series, which could continue due to leading the NBA in allowing just 9.3 fast break points per game. Cleveland also relies heavily on its bench, currently averaging 35.6 points from its reserves, which is the second-best mark in the Eastern Conference. Irving scored 17 points with four rebounds and four assists in playing 26 minutes in the first meeting against the Heat this season.
Miami has won seven of its last eight games and has gone “under” the total in two straight contests. The Heat have also alternated in covering the spread in five games, coming off a 95-89 win over the Toronto Raptors as 16-point home favorites. Forward LeBron James figures to be the center of attention tonight inside American Airlines Arena, hosting his former team. The former Cavaliers star ranks second in the league in scoring 29.2 points per game, which has been helped by shooting a career-best 55.2 percent from the floor. Miami is 1-5 ATS versus Central division opponents this year.
The Heat have won four of five games against the Cavaliers since signing James as a free agent. “It’s not as big as if was last year of course,” he stated in practice Monday. “Each game it kind of goes away, but it’s always fun going against your old teammates.” Miami has tallied a 13-3 mark versus Eastern Conference opponents, including an 8-2 mark when playing at home. The Heat are 46-39 all-time versus the Cavaliers during the regular season, including a 30-13 mark when playing in South Beach.
Bettors will likely back the Cavaliers due to their 5-1 ATS mark as underdogs of 11 points or more, while the Heat are 2-6 ATS as favorites in the same point range.
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