San Antonio (17-21) at Miami (27-12)
When: Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
Where: American Airlines Arena,
Miami, Florida
Time: 7:35 ET | TV: FS Sun
Opening Odds: Miami -5.5/222
The San Antonio Spurs are hanging around in the Western Conference playoff race and have recently taken down a couple of Eastern heavyweights. They seek to knock off another one on Wednesday when the visit the Miami Heat in the first of two meetings with them over the next four days. San Antonio beat the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks 126-104 on January 6th before embarking on a four-game road trip and have since beaten both Boston and Toronto away from home with a loss at Memphis mixed-in. The Spurs dug themselves out of an 18-point hole on Sunday against the Raptors and got 25 points from star guard DeMar DeRozan in the 105-104 victory over his former team. Miami has a league-best 17-1 record at home, but have been on the road since Jan. 5 and have dropped two of their last three. The Heat began their three-game road trip with a 122-108 triumph over the Indiana Pacers, but dropped a game at Brooklyn and blew a fourth quarter lead on Sunday in a 124-121 setback to the New York Knicks. Miami swept the two-game series last season including a 95-88 home win.
DeRozan’s 25 points came on 7-of-12 shooting Sunday and is averaging 27 points on 63.4 percent shooting and 5.5 assists in his past 11 games to raise his season shooting percentage to 53.5. The Spurs, who are tied with Memphis for the final playoff spot in the West entering Tuesday’s action, are getting key contributions from their reserve center. Jakob Poeltl brought down a team-high 10 rebounds on Sunday to reach double-digits for the first time in a month, while power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has made multiple 3-pointers in seven of the last 10 games. The Spurs will host Atlanta on Friday before their rematch with Miami on Sunday.
Power forward James Johnson played just his third game since late November and has been on fire off the bench, hitting 12-of-16 from the floor, including 7-of-7 from 3-point range during that span and scored 19 points in 20 minutes Sunday. The Heat shot 53.8 percent from the floor versus the Knicks on Sunday but allowed New York to shoot 51.7 percent in the loss. Star guard Jimmy Butler averaged 29 points on 20-of-33 shooting in the two losses, but had just 14 points in the win over Indiana last week. Point guard Kendrick Nunn had his first 20-point outing since Dec. 18 with 20 points Sunday. Miami will play at Oklahoma City before meeting the Spurs again.
Miami is deadly at home, but San Antonio has been very strong on the road, going 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight away from home and are 5-1 ATS in their last six as an underdog. The Heat will probably win this game, but the Spurs will keep it interesting.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Wednesday. He is 45-35-3 (56%) on the season!
Pick: Spurs +5
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Spurs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Spurs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Spurs are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.
Spurs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
Spurs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog.
Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Spurs are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a ATS win.
Spurs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games playing on 2 days rest.
Spurs are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 games following a straight up win.
Spurs are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Wednesday games.
Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
Heat are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Heat are 14-4-1 ATS in their last 19 home games.
Heat are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up loss.
Heat are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 games as a home favorite.
Heat are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Heat are 19-7-2 ATS in their last 28 games following a ATS loss.
Heat are 38-18 ATS in their last 56 Wednesday games.
Heat are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Heat are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite.
Heat are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Heat are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
Over is 5-0 in Spurs last 5 games following a ATS win.
Over is 4-1 in Spurs last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Spurs last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Spurs last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Spurs last 5 games as an underdog.
Over is 4-1 in Spurs last 5 Wednesday games.
Under is 6-2 in Spurs last 8 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 8-3 in Spurs last 11 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 8-3 in Spurs last 11 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 9-4 in Spurs last 13 games playing on 2 days rest.
Over is 4-0 in Heat last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 12-2 in Heat last 14 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Heat last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Over is 12-3 in Heat last 15 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 7-2 in Heat last 9 home games.
Over is 17-5-1 in Heat last 23 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 9-3 in Heat last 12 games as a home favorite.
Over is 20-7 in Heat last 27 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Over is 19-7-1 in Heat last 27 overall.
Over is 18-7-1 in Heat last 26 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 18-7-1 in Heat last 26 games as a favorite.
Under is 9-4 in Heat last 13 games playing on 2 days rest.
Over is 35-17 in Heat last 52 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
Spurs are 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
Spurs are 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Miami.
