For sports bettors, college basketball’s nonstop conference tournament action undoubtedly serves as the day’s appetizer, main course, and dessert. Of course, any foodie will tell you that a gourmet meal is best served with a vintage bottle of wine, and there’s a perfect one on the Wednesday NBA odds menu.
Down in South Florida, the top team in the Western Conference meets its counterpart in the Eastern Conference, as the Phoenix Suns visit the Miami Heat. Combined, these squads have won more than 73 percent of their games (105-35), and both have been profitable for bettors (73-56-1 ATS combined).
It’s the Suns, however, who own the NBA’s best record, and they arrive in Miami looking to avenge an ugly home loss to the Heat two months ago. But they’ll have to do it without their top two players.
In addition to Suns vs. Heat, our Wednesday NBA betting preview also features an interesting clash between Eastern Conference playoff contenders, as the red-hot Celtics visit the struggling Hornets.
Odds via DraftKings and updated as of 11:30 a.m. ET on March 9.
- Huge Selection of Sports
- 20+ States
- Top-Rated App
Phoenix Suns Vs Miami Heat
Tipoff/TV: 7:35 p.m. ET/ESPN
Suns: 51-13 SU/34-30 ATS
Heat: 44-22 SU/39-26-1 ATS
Spread/Total: Heat -4/220
Last meeting: Miami traveled to the desert on Jan. 8 and sank the Suns 123-100 as a 9.5-point road underdog
Did you know: The visitor has won and covered six of the last seven meetings between these squads, with Phoenix going 3-0 SU/ATS in its last three trips to South Beach. Prior to this stretch, the Suns were in a 3-14 ATS slump at Miami
About Phoenix: It wasn’t easy, but the Suns on Tuesday improved to 3-1 without All-Star guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul in the lineup, holding off the Magic 102-99 in Orlando. Phoenix fell short as a 6-point road chalk and is now 2-7 ATS in its last nine games. Paul will be sidelined several weeks while he recovers from a broken thumb suffered in the final game before the All-Star break. Booker has missed the last four contests while in COVID protocols, but earlier today, he was cleared to play tonight, leading to a big odds move (see below). Without their two playmakers, the Suns have beaten three NBA bottom-feeders (Portland, New York, and Orlando) and lost to the defending-champion Bucks (132-122 on the road). Phoenix continues to own the NBA’s best record and is eight games clear of second-place Memphis in the Western Conference standings.
About Miami: The Heat continue to post victories, cash tickets, and hold off all comers in the Eastern Conference. Most recently, Miami went off as a 16.5-point home favorite Monday against Houston and barely got inside the number in a 123-106 victory. It was the most points the Heat have been favored by this season. Miami has won 12 of 14 games since Feb. 3, going 10-3-1 ATS. That includes an ongoing five-game spread-covering streak. The Heat lead the Eastern Conference by three games over both Philadelphia and Milwaukee, and they’re tied with Golden State for the third-best SU record in the league (behind Phoenix and Memphis). Miami also owns the NBA’s third-best point-spread record, trailing the Grizzlies (44-23 ATS) and Thunder (38-23-4 ATS).
Editor’s Note: Looking to become a sharper NBA bettor? Check out our NBA betting guide for a few wagering tips.
Notable Trends
- Phoenix is 8-3 ATS in its last 12 road games
- Phoenix is 0-4 ATS as an underdog of 3 points or more this season
- Miami is 7-0 ATS in its last seven Wednesday games
- Over is 9-3 in Phoenix’s last 12 overall
- Over is 7-3 in Miami’s last 10 at home
- Miami is 21-7 ATS in its last 28 vs. Phoenix
- Over is 7-2 in the last nine series clashes
Phoenix Suns Vs Miami Heat Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:15 P.M. ET: Miami hit DraftKings’ Wednesday NBA odds board as an 8-point favorite Tuesday night, briefly touched -8.5 this morning, then tumbled to -3.5 by early this afternoon. A key reason for the big move toward Phoenix: Suns guard Devin Booker was cleared to return, after missing four games due to COVID protocols. Further, Heat star Jimmy Butler is questionable with a sinus infection.
The Heat are now at -4 while taking a modest majority of tickets and money, at 52% and 54%, respectively. The total initially fell from 217.5 to 216.5, but it’s now up to 220, with 87% of tickets/75% of money on the Over.
Boston Celtics Vs Charlotte Hornets
Tipoff/TV: 7:10 p.m. ET/NBA League Pass
Celtics: 39-27 SU/34-31-1 ATS
Hornets: 32-33 SU/35-28-2 ATS
Spread/Total: Celtics -7.5 (-115)/225
Last meeting: On Feb. 2, Boston stung the Hornets 113-107, but just missed covering as a 6.5-point home chalk
Did you know: The winning team has scored more than 110 points in six straight meetings and 12 of the last 14. During this 14-game stretch, the victor has averaged 120.1 points per game
About Boston: The Celtics have been idle since Sunday’s 126-120 victory over the Nets, barely covering as a 5.5-point home favorite. That win capped a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS homestand. Boston has been the hottest team in the NBA over the past six weeks, going 14-2 SU (10-6 ATS) since Jan. 29. During this stretch, the Celtics have scored in triple digits in every game, topping 110 points 10 times. They’re also 7-1 SU/5-3 ATS as a visitor, with the lone blemish being a 128-107 loss at Indiana in their most recent road game Feb. 27. Thanks to its recent surge, Boston has climbed to the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference standings, a half-game ahead of sixth-place Cleveland and a half-game ahead of fourth-place Chicago.
About Charlotte: The Hornets return to the court 24 hours after surrendering 50 points to Kyrie Irving in a 132-121 loss to the struggling Nets. Charlotte has been heading in the complete opposite direction as the Celtics, having dropped 12 of 16 games dating to Jan. 30. The Hornets are also mired in a 6-12-2 ATS slump, including 2-10-1 ATS at home. It’s been a tale of two ends of the court for Charlotte all season long. The Hornets are tied with Minnesota for second in the NBA in scoring offense at 114.4 points per game (just a tick behind Milwaukee’s 114.5 ppg), but they’re giving up nearly as many to their opponents (114.8 ppg, third-worst in the league). Charlotte, which is looking to return to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, is tied with Atlanta for ninth place in the East.
Notable Trends
- Boston is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 Wednesday contests
- Charlotte is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven as a home underdog
- Charlotte is 3-9 ATS when playing on back-to-back days this season
- Over is 6-1-1 in Boston’s last eight overall
- Over is 4-0-1 in Boston’s last five road games
- Under is 7-3 in Charlotte’s last 10 home games
- Under is 16-5 in Charlotte’s last 21 as an underdog
- Boston is 18-7-1 ATS in the last 26 series meetings
- Celtics are 9-3 ATS in last 12 trips to Charlotte
Boston Celtics Vs Charlotte Hornets Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:15 P.M. ET: DraftKings opened Boston -6.5 Tuesday evening and is now -7.5 (-115), less than two hours before tipoff. The Celtics are landing 71% of tickets and 73% of cash on the spread. The total initially rose from 226.5 to 227.5, but has since receded to 225. Eighty percent of tickets are on the Over, but money is running almost dead even.
