The Miami Heat (35-26) travel to play the Dallas Mavericks (34-28) for an exciting cross-conference showdown on Thursday evening. The Mavericks have hit a wall lately, dropping three straight and five of their last six games. On Tuesday, the Indiana Pacers knocked off Dallas, 137-120. Meanwhile, Miami enters Thursday’s contest full of confidence after winning seven of its last eight games. On Tuesday, the Heat outlasted the Pistons, 118-110.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The Mavericks are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Heat vs. Mavericks odds, while the over/under for total points is 229.5. Before making any Mavericks vs. Heat picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 20 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 64-40 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Heat vs. Mavericks. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Mavericks vs. Heat::format(jpeg)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5073367/136105714.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
Heat vs. Mavericks spread: Dallas -4.5
Heat vs. Mavericks over/under: 229.5 points
Heat vs. Mavericks money line: Dallas -196, Miami +163
MIA: The Heat are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games
DAL: The Mavs are 2-4 ATS in their last six games
Heat vs. Mavericks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Mavericks can cover
Guard Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the league. Doncic has the skill set to effectively set up the offense but scores from anywhere on the court. The 25-year-old leads the league in scoring (34.6) and ranks third in assists (9.8). In his previous matchup, Doncic had 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. Doncic has now recorded a triple-double in each of his last four games.
Forward P.J. Washington is an extremely effective role player. Washington hovers around the rim for easy looks and rebounds but also owns a reliable jumper. The Kentucky product averages 13.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. In Tuesday’s setback against the Pacers, Washington had 20 points, seven rebounds, and went 4-of-8 from 3-point land. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Heat can cover
Forward Jimmy Butler can easily flip a switch to become a menace on the court. The six-time NBA All-Star averages 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per contest. He’s averaging 31.5 points per game over his last two contests. In the March 2 win over the Jazz, Butler stuffed the stat sheet with 37 points and seven assists.
Center Bam Adebayo plays with high energy on both ends of the floor. Adebayo can handle the rock and defend multiple positions at an elite level. The 26-year-old logs 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Additionally, he’s compiled 31 double-doubles this season. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Mavericks vs. Heat picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 230 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 50% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
