The Friday NBA odds slate is about quantity, not quality. There are 10 games on the schedule, but only one pits two teams in the top six of their respective conferences. And those two teams need a victory to shore up their postseason positions.
The Miami Heat are holding on to the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and the sixth-place Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to expand their breathing room to avoid a play-in game. The Heat have the best record in the East — and the fourth-best record in the league — but they’re 0-for-2 against the Cavaliers this season.
Props.com breaks down this Cleveland-Miami matchup in our Friday NBA betting preview.
Odds via WynnBet and updated as of 7:50 p.m. ET on March 11.
Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Miami Heat
Tipoff/TV: 8 p.m. ET/NBA League Pass
Cavaliers: 38-27 SU/37-26-2 ATS
Heat: 44-23 SU/39-27-1 ATS
Spread/Total: Heat -8.5/209.5
Last meeting: The Cavaliers cruised to a 105-94 home victory on Dec. 5, covering as a 5.5-point favorite
Did you know: Miami and Cleveland rank third and fourth, respectively, in the NBA point-spread standing, trailing only Oklahoma City (38-24-4 ATS) and Memphis (44-23 ATS). Combined, the Heat and Cavs are cashing in 57.8 percent of their games
Cleveland is 2-0 SU and ATS against the Heat this season, winning each game by at least 11 points, though Miami’s Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo missed both games. The Cavaliers whipped the Heat 111-85 in Miami on Dec. 1 as 3-point underdogs.
About Cleveland: The Cavaliers have won and covered two straight after going 1-6 SU and ATS in their previous seven. Cleveland held off Indiana 127-124 laying 2.5 points on the road Tuesday after knocking off Toronto 104-96 as a 5-point home chalk Sunday. The Cavaliers sit in sixth in a tightly packed Eastern Conference, three games ahead of Toronto in the race to avoid a play-in game but also only three games behind Milwaukee for the No. 2 seed. The Cavaliers have blasted Miami twice by double digits this season, including a 111-85 road win Dec. 1 as 3-point underdogs. However, Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo missed both games. Cleveland will be without two key pieces Friday, as center Jarret Allen (16.1 points, team-high 10.8 rebounds per game) is out indefinitely with a fractured finger, while shooting guard Caris LeVert (18.2 ppg) remains sidelined with a foot injury.
About Miami: As of midday ET Friday, Butler is questionable for this contest because of illness. He missed Wednesday’s game against Phoenix, and the Suns romped to a 111-90 victory in a game the Heat were laying 4 points. Despite that defeat, Miami is still 12-3 SU and 10-4-1 ATS in its last 15 games. The Heat hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with 15 games to play, but their edge is slim, as Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Chicago trail by 2, 3 and 3.5 games, respectively. Prior to this season, Miami had been on an 11-1 SU/10-2 ATS roll against the Cavaliers.
Editor’s Note: Looking to become a sharper NBA bettor? Check out our NBA betting guide for a few wagering tips.
Notable Trends
- Cleveland is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games when playing on two days’ rest
- Miami is 9-2-1 ATS in its last 12 following a SU loss
- Over is 3-0-1 in Cleveland’s last four on the road
- Under is 6-2 in the Cavaliers’ last eight as a road underdog
- Over is 13-3 in Miami’s last 16 Friday games
- Miami is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 at home vs. Cleveland
- Over is 6-2 in the last seven series meetings overall (0-2 this year)
- Over is 6-1 in the last eight Cavs-Heat games in Miami
Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Miami Heat Odds and Action
UPDATE 7:45 PM ET: Some 15 minutes before tipoff, the Heat have stretched from an opener of -5 up to -8.5 favorite on WynnBet’s Friday NBA odds board. It’s all Miami on the action front, as 71% of the bets and 83% of the money are on the home team. The total has bounced around a bit but is back at the opener of 209.5, although it’s one-sided action on the Over, which is taking 78% of the tickets and a whopping 99% of the money.