The final week of the 2019-20 NBA regular season is here, and the highly-anticipated playoffs will kick off next week. There is still some work to be done first, and playoff seeding is still up in the air.
The Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder will meet up on Wednesday, and this will be the second to last regular-season game for each team. Both teams have gone 3-3 so far during the restart, and they have each looked extremely impressive at times.
Miami comes into this game with an overall record of 44-27, and they have locked up the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference. The Heat earned a 114-92 win on Monday night.
Oklahoma City comes into this game with a record of 43-27, and they are in a tight battle with the Utah Jazz for the 5th seed in the Western Conference. OKC suffered a 128-101 loss to the Phoenix Suns in their most recent game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are 4.5-point favorites over the Miami Heat on Wednesday in Orlando.
Heat Terrific When Healthy
The Miami Heat have battled injuries since arriving in Orlando, and that has played a considerable role in their 3-3 record. Miami is viewed as one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference when they are fully healthy and playing well.
Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, and Kendrick Nunn have all missed some games, but Butler and Dragic returned to the lineup on Monday night. Butler had 19 points in his return, and he remains a huge key for the Miami Heat.
Butler leads the team with 20.2 points and 6.1 assists per game this season and is also one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Forward Bam Adebayo has been terrific this season as well, averaging more than 16 points and ten rebounds per game.
The Heat can be a terrific defensive team, and they are allowing just 109 points per game this season. Miami struggles to score at times, especially if some of their top players are out of the lineup.
Thunder Need Consistency
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a bit of a mystery all season long, and that hasn’t changed during the restart. Oklahoma City has been able to knock off some of the best teams in the league, but have also been blown out by some bad teams.
The Thunder are a terrific defensive team, and they have allowed just 108.4 points per game this season. Oklahoma City does struggle to score at times, and they are averaging only 110.4 points per game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder with 19.1 points per game this season, but Oklahoma City has had several players step up. Veteran point guard Chris Paul has averaged 6.8 assists per game and gives this team plenty of leadership.
If Oklahoma City can find some consistency heading into the playoffs, they could go on a deep run.
Miami Heat Pick Up Important Victory
This game is crucial for both teams, even though the Miami Heat are likely locked into the 4-5 matchup in the East. Miami wants to build momentum heading to the playoffs, but their main goal is to keep everyone healthy.
Oklahoma City has been a significant surprise all season long, and that has continued so far in Orlando. The Thunder have some impressive wins, but they also have some ugly losses.
The Miami Heat are the more talented team in this matchup, and Jimmy Butler will lead the way. Take the points and bet the Miami Heat +4.5 over the OKC Thunder on Wednesday.
