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The Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans will have their first of two meetings on Friday. Miami, which swept the season series 2-0 during the 2022-23 campaign, will be looking to stay unbeaten against the home team. The Heat will again be led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in their quest to maintain their dominance versus New Orleans.
Zion Williamson and teammates are facing a tough task right after the All-Star break. They will square off with the Heat less than 24 hours after beating the Houston Rockets 127-105 on Thursday. New Orleans’ starters played heavy minutes in the said victory, so it remains to be seen how fresh they will be on Friday.
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Miami was on a roll leading into the All-Star festivities. The Heat were 6-2 in their last eight games and were looking to steadily climb the Eastern Conference standings. After their win versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, they are only one game behind the Indiana Pacers for the coveted sixth spot in the East.
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Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans: Preview, prediction and betting tips
The Pelicans will host the Heat on Friday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Bally Sports New Orleans and Bally Sports Sun are the local networks that will cover the game. Streaming the same is also possible by subscribing to the NBA League Pass.
Basketball fans can listen to SiriusXM, WRNO 99.5 FM and WQAM 560/S: WAQI 710 to tune in to the action.
Moneyline: Heat (+130) vs. Pelicans (-155)
Spread: Heat (+3.0) vs. Pelicans (-3.0)
Total (O/U): Heat (o222.5 -110) vs. Pelicans (u222.5 -110)
Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans: Game preview
The All-Star break did little to help with the Miami Heat’s injury-riddled roster. They will still be without Terry Rozier (knee sprain) and Josh Richardson (shoulder dislocation). Tyler Herro has also been ruled questionable due to right foot discomfort.
The Heat, though, have done fairly well despite the injuries. They will be looking to play much better as they try to nail one of the guaranteed playoff spots. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo will spearhead Miami’s game plan on both ends of the court on Friday.
The New Orleans Pelicans aren’t quite healthy either. They could miss Brandon Ingram for the second straight game due to illness. He hasn’t reportedly practiced with the team, making his availability iffy.
Without Ingram, the Pelicans will be in a tough spot as they will be playing their second game in two nights. New Orleans coach Willie Green will be hoping Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas and CJ McCollum have enough to lead the team against their visitors.
Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans: Starting lineups
If Tyler Herro isn’t cleared to play, he will be replaced in the starting lineup by either Jaime Jaquez Jr or Duncan Robinson. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Cody Martin and Nikola Jovic are expected to open the game for Miami.
Brandon Ingram gets his customary spot in the first five if he is cleared to play. If not, Trey Murphy III could continue playing in his place. Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas and Herb Jones are expected to also line up for tip-off.
Editor's note: These are predicted starting lineups, which could change depending on the availability of players uncertain to play.
Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans: Betting tips
The over/under points prop for Jimmy Butler is 21.5, which is about the same as his 21.4 PPG season average. “Jimmy Buckets” is well-rested and Miami will count on him to put up the points, particularly if Tyler Herro is inactive. Butler is likely to get over his points prop on Friday.
Zion Williamson’s over/under points prop is 24.5, which is significantly higher than his season average of 22.4 PPG. “Zanos” has been on fire in his last four games, averaging 26.8 points. The powerful former Duke superstar could easily top his points prop with the way he has been playing.
Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans: Prediction
The New Orleans Pelicans could extend their winning streak to five on Friday versus the Miami Heat and also beat their opponents +3.0 spread. New Orleans may be playing the second night of a back-to-back set but it’s healthier compared to Miami.
