Portland (13-13) at Miami (13-13)
When: Wednesday, December 13th 2017
Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
Time: 7:35 ET | TV: NBCSN Northwest, FSN Sun
Opening Odds: Miami -1.5/202
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The Portland Trail Blazers continue a five-game road trip when they take on the surging Miami Heat on Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena. Both teams come in with identical 13-13 records, but look vastly different right now as the Blazers have dropped five-straight contests. The Blazers won three straight and five of six prior to the losing streak, including the most recent – a 111-104 loss at Golden State on Monday. Portland didn’t look good from the onset as they fell behind by 13 points at halftime to a Warriors team playing without three starters. The Heat lost four of five before their current two-game winning streak that included a win over Brooklyn in Mexico City and a 25-point victory at Memphis on Monday. Miami shot 56.1% for the game and outscored the Grizzlies by 22 points after halftime in their most lopsided win of the season. Portland won and covered the spread in both meetings with Miami last season.
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Damian Lillard scored a season-high 39 points and fellow guard CJ McCollum added 21 in Monday’s loss, but the rest of the team combined to shoot a dismal 37% from the floor. Center Jusuf Nurkic, who has a team-high six double-doubles, has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and backup Meyers Leonard is averaging eight points and four rebounds in his place. Portland’s five straight losses have come against some good teams. Entering Tuesday, the five opponents were a collective 40 games above .500, but Wednesday begins a three-game stretch against opponents who are a combined 12 games below .500 including Orlando on Friday.
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Miami has been missing its star player Hassan Whiteside for the last six games with a knee injury, although his return is imminent. Whiteside is third in the league in rebounding (12.7) and averages 14.9 points a game. Kelly Olynyk took the last three starts in place of Whiteside but has not been as good in the role of starter. Olynyk is averaging 7.8 points on 44% shooting in 24.8 minutes as a starter, compared to 9.4 on 52.5% in just 19.9 minutes coming off the bench. Rookie center Bam Adebayo is 23-for-32 from the field over his last seven games and had 14 points off the bench in the win over Memphis. Miami, which is 1-3 at home against Western Conference teams, will be at Charlotte on Friday.
IS OPENING YOUR OWN SPORTSBOOK STILL A GOOD IDEA?
Normally, I would take Miami in this spot seeing as how the Blazers have lost five-straight, but the abscence of Whiteside hurts this team. Portland has had a rough stretch in the schedule, but should be able to pull out a victory in south Florida.
Pick: Blazers +3
- Trail Blazers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Southeast.
- Trail Blazers are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up loss.
- Trail Blazers are 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Trail Blazers are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Trail Blazers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 Wednesday games.
- Heat are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Heat are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Heat are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 vs. Western Conference.
- Heat are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Heat are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Heat are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 Wednesday games.
- Heat are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Heat are 2-12-2 ATS in their last 16 home games.
- Under is 4-0 in Trail Blazers last 4 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 8-2-1 in Trail Blazers last 11 Wednesday games.
- Under is 7-2 in Trail Blazers last 9 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 7-2 in Trail Blazers last 9 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 7-2 in Trail Blazers last 9 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Under is 13-4 in Trail Blazers last 17 overall.
- Under is 18-7-1 in Trail Blazers last 26 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 5-2 in Trail Blazers last 7 road games.
- Under is 7-3 in Trail Blazers last 10 vs. NBA Southeast.
- Under is 13-6 in Trail Blazers last 19 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0 in Heat last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 6-0 in Heat last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0 in Heat last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 8-1 in Heat last 9 overall.
- Under is 12-2 in Heat last 14 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Under is 4-1 in Heat last 5 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 24-8 in Heat last 32 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-4 in Heat last 15 Wednesday games.
- Under is 19-7 in Heat last 26 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 10-4 in Heat last 14 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 20-8 in Heat last 28 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in Miami.
- Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
- Trail Blazers are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
