Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 22/03/2024, 04:19  by Joseph King | Modified on 22/03/2024 at 04:31 in NBA Predictions

The New Orleans Pelicans conclude their Florida tour with a trip to South Beach to face the Miami Heat on Friday in the NBA. Miami sits seventh in the East with a 38-31 record while the Pels occupy the fifth position in the West with a mark of 42-27. 

The Heat are coming off a hard-earned 107-104 away win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by Jimmy Butler’s 30 points and four steals on 11 for 19 shooting. Terry Rozier, acquired by the Heat at the trade deadline, hit a clutch stepback three with 14 seconds remaining to give his team a three-point lead. They would hold on after Darius Garland hit the front rim on a tough double-clutch deep three to tie the game at the buzzer. The win was Miami’s third in their last four games as they chase a top-six seed for an automatic playoff qualification spot. They currently trail the sixth-place Pacers by just a half game and are tied with the eighth-placed Sixers who possess an identical record.

The New Orleans Pelicans saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday after a 121-106 away loss to the Orlando Magic. The defeat has the Pels maintaining their fifth-place position in the West with a 1.5 game lead over both the Mavericks and the Suns for a spot in the top six, as well as trailing the Clippers by the same amount for the fourth seed. New Orleans has been one of the league’s best teams since February as they have amassed a 15-6 record during that time. Key to their success has been their increased defensive level as the Pelicans now rank fifth in the NBA in adjusted defensive rating. Over their last nine games, of which they’ve posted a 7-2 record, the Pelicans have held their opponents to just 104.1 points on average.