Orlando Magic at Miami Heat
Thursday, 3/3/11, 8:00 PM EDT, TV: TNT
Opening Point Spread: Miami -5
Current Betting Line: Miami -4.5
Opening Total: 198
Current Total: 197
Orlando has dropped two of three meetings against Miami this season and look to even up the series while gaining ground in the Eastern Conference standings. The Magic are 4 1/2 games behind the Heat heading into tonight’s clash and come in riding a three-game winning streak, including a 116-110 win over New York on Tuesday. “We played hard and we got to the point where we drew the line and we said we’re not going to let this one slip away,” said Quentin Richardson. The team has tallied a 39-22 overall record, including a 15-13 mark on the road. Orlando is 1-5 ATS as an underdog this year and 25-19 ATS in this situation the past three years.
The Magic are 41-45 all-time against the Heat and have posted a 17-25 record on the road in the series. Orlando has won 15 of the last 20 regular season meetings with Miami. All-Star center Dwight Howard has been playing great basketball of late, scoring 30 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in the victory against the Knicks. He’s averaged 20.0 points and 13.7 rebounds in three match-ups against the Heat this season.
Miami enters Thursday night’s game with a disappointing 13-14 record against teams .500 or better, which is far different from the 29-2 mark posted against losing clubs. The Heat dropped their latest on Sunday night against the Knicks with a 91-86 loss. “We’ve got to figure it out,” said guard Dwyane Wade. “That’s why we continue to play these games. We continue to build habits.” All-Star forward LeBron James definitely figured it out in his last encounter with Orlando, dropping a season-high 51 points in a 104-100 victory on February 3. Miami is 25-27 ATS as a favorite this season and bettors will be interested in checking out the NBA lines page throughout the day.
The Heat’s defense has been stellar throughout the season, even in defeat, which was demonstrated against the Knicks on Sunday. Miami held New York to 38.8 percent shooting from the field, marking the 15th time this season they have held an opponent under 40 percent shooting from the floor. The squad is expected to add point guard Mike Bibby to its roster this evening, as he forfeited next season’s $6.2 million salary after being traded from Atlanta to Sacramento. Miami had to release guard Carlos Arroyo in order to make the transaction happen. “This was a very difficult decision to make because Carlos has done a great job for this team and this organization,” said team president Pat Riley. “He is truly a first-class individual and professional.”
Bettors will be interested in playing the Heat due to the favorite being 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings, while the Magic are 3-12-2 ATS as a road underdog.
