Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Miami heat vs Denver Nuggets: 2023 NBA Finals rematch
The Denver Nuggets are hosting the Miami Heat on Thursday at Ball Arena.
The Heat have won the last five games
The Miami Heat are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 33-25 record. They have won the last five games and are coming off a 106-96 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Heat are third in the league, allowing 109.9 points per game, but are only 27th in scoring 110.6. Jimmy Butler leads the Heat, averaging 21.5 points per game.
The Nuggets are having a good week
The Denver Nuggets are third in the Western Conference with a 40-19 record. They have won the last four games and are coming off a 117-96 home win over the Sacramento Kings. The defending champions are sixth in the league, shooting 49.3% from the field, and are ranked 17th scoring 114.6 points per game. Nikola Jokic is the front-runner in the MVP race, averaging 26.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game.
Betting Trends
The Nuggets are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games against the Heat. Denver is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games overall, 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games played on Thursday and 4-2 ATS in the last 6 games as favorite. Miami is 8-0 ATS in the last 8 games and 6-0 ATS in the last six road games.
Prediction and Conclusion
It is always interesting to see a rematch of last year’s final, and it seems like the chance for payback is coming at the right time for Miami. The Heat have won the last five games and are looking to end their six-game road trip with a perfect record. However, that is much easier to say than done since the Nuggets are 23-5 at home and are also on a winning streak. Nikola Jokic is playing out of this world, and no matter how good the Heat defense is, there is no solution for the Serbian center. The Nuggets are up for any challenge, and they will prove once again who the defending champion is by winning and covering the -4-point spread.
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