The Eastern Conference will be on full display Friday night as the Charlotte Hornets (4-1) take on the Miami Heat (3-1). The Heat will host this one from FTX Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 pm ET.
Charlotte comes into this one, having won four of five, including a 120-111 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. In the victory, Gordon Hayward led the way with 24 points, while Mason Plumlee had a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds.
The Heat have won two in a row, including a 106-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday. Bam Adebayo had 24 points and nine rebounds in the win, while Jimmy Butler added 17 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists.
The Heat are the heavy favorites playing at home. They are -245 to win while the Hornets’ moneyline sits at +200. The spread features Charlotte +6 (-110).
More Odds
Currently, the Heat have the fourth-best odds of winning the Eastern Conference at +950. The Hornets are just +6500 to win it.
In terms of winning the NBA Finals, the Heat are +1600 to win it all while the Hornets are +13000.
By The Numbers
The Hornets are 4-1, both straight up and against the spread to start the season. In their last 15 games against Miami, they are just 5-10.
In the last five games between these two teams, the over has hit every time. Against Eastern Conference opponents, the Heat are 10-5 against the spread in their last 15.
Hornets Trying To Prove They Are For Real
Despite their long odds to win the conference, the Hornets currently sit tied for the best record in the East at 4-1. Trying to disprove the naysayers, Charlotte will look to pick up a big road win on Friday.
Leading the way for the Hornets is Miles Bridges. Through five games, the small forward is averaging 26.2 points, eight rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
Other significant contributors include Lamelo Ball (19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, six assists, two steals), Gordon Hayward (18.4 points, four rebounds, 5.2 assists), and Kelly Oubre Jr. 914.2 points, five rebounds).
The Hornets currently rank atop the list in scoring, averaging 121.2 points per game. They rank 26th in scoring defense, allowing 116 points per game.
Heat Trying To Return To Postseason Glory
During the 2019-20 season, the Heat made quite the run all the way to the NBA Finals. While they lost four games to two to the Lakers, it was still a magical ride. Last year, it was a bit more disappointing after losing in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Re-energized, the Heat will once again look to put themselves in a position where they can make a deep run in an attempt to secure an NBA championship.
Leading the push is small forward Jimmy Butler. Through four games, he is averaging 23.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.3 steals per game.
Other double-digit scorers include Tyler Herro (21 points, 7.3 rebounds, four assists) and Bam Adebayo (19.3 points, 12.8 rebounds).
Offensively, the Heat rank 13th averaging 110.2 points per game (122 at home). Defensively, though, the Heat have been the best in the NBA, allowing opponents just 95 points per game.
Taking The Heat To Win And Cover
While it is still a really small sample size, the Heat have played fantastic at home this season. With a strong offense and a shutdown defense, there is a good chance that they not only win this one but that they can cover the six-point spread.
Pick: Take Miami -6 (-110)
