Bettors Clapping Thunder, Eye Spread Cover vs Heat
Heat vs Thunder Preview: A Good One on The Table
The Oklahoma City Thunder have treated bettors well, and they look to cover a -8 spread against the Miami Heat on Thursday.
We have a Heat vs Thunder preview for the big game at Paycom Center, where the Thunder look to improve their ATS record to 39-24.
Heat vs Thunder 
Day/Time:
Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Streaming: NBA League Pass
Heat Starting to Get Hot
The Heat have played well recently, including wins over the Kings, Blazers, Jazz, and Pistons.
They’re not the strongest teams in the NBA, but the NBA Championship is still well within their grasp.
Last season’s finalists never looked great during the NBA regular season, but they play their best basketball approaching the playoffs and during the playoffs.
NBA Injuries continue to hamper the likes of Kevin Love and Tyler Herro, but Jimmy Butler leads the Heat with merit.
Playing on the road hasn’t worried them. They are 18-13 SU and 18-12-1 ATS, so bettors shouldn’t be concerned about them playing on the road.
However, covering a +8 spread against the Thunder isn’t easy. Getting eight points is huge, but the Thunder have the ability to post big totals.
In their first meeting, the Thunder won 128-120 on the road, which is why our Heat vs Thunder preview is tentative to lock in the Heat.
Thunder Happy to be Home
The Thunder didn’t look good on their four-game road trip, which included wins over the Suns and Blazers, but losses to the Spurs and Lakers.
Having a loss to the Spurs on their record didn’t sit well with bettors, but getting back home where they are 24-6 is ideal.
Having Chet Holmgren, who is one of the NBA block leaders, could stifle the Heat’s offense, so he’s a key player.
The Thunder are also blessed to have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has set the court alight with 31.1 points per game. The MVP candidate is scoring at will, and the Heat could struggle to keep up on the offensive end.
Josh Giddey is providing plenty of dimes for his scorers, and there is every chance the Thunder go on a deep playoff run.
Have a 21-9 ATS record at home is tough to overlook. Bettors have cashed in consistently with the Thunder, and although -8 is a big line, they’re tough to pass up on.
Thunder Set for Playoff Push
As the NBA playoffs near, we expect the Thunder to perform highly.
Our Heat vs Thunder preview gives them the clear edge based on individual NBA matchups, which are clearly in favor of the home side.
The sportsbook has them at -8 for a reason, and there is good betting confidence with the home side, who rarely fail to cover a spread at Paycom Center.
Gilgeous-Alexander is a great chance to score over 30 points, so we’re including him in our NBA prop bets. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and the Heat defense won’t phase him. His NBA Finals stats could only improve, so he’s worth following.
There were 248 points scored in the first meeting, so we’re locking in over 226.5. It’s a low line considering their previous result, so that’s a strong NBA pick for Friday’s contest.
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