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Suns vs Heat Odds, Spread & Picks

   Published Date: March 9, 2022
  • The Suns vs Heat odds favor Miami by 7-points on Wednesday (March 9) at 7:30pm ET
  • Chris Paul remains out for Phoenix, while Devin Booker could potentially return after a three-game absence
  • Read below for the Phoenix vs Miami odds, analysis, and betting prediction

Wednesday in Miami was supposed to be a projected NBA Finals preview. Unfortunately, we won’t get a true indication of what a Suns vs Heat series might look like.

That’s because Phoenix is dealing with some major injury issues. Their top two players, Chris Paul and Devin Booker, have missed the last three games, and while Booker may suit up on Wednesday, there’s no official word as of Tuesday night.

Suns vs Heat Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Phoenix Suns +245 +7 (-110) OFF
Miami Heat -310 -7 (-110) OFF

Odds as of March 8th at BetMGM.

With the Suns ailing, Miami is currently a 7-point favorite. Tip-off is scheduled for just after 7:30pm ET at the FTX arena, with ESPN providing the broadcast coverage.

Phoenix Suns Betting Analysis

Booker, the Suns’ leading scorer, has been stuck in the league’s health and safety protocols. He hasn’t played since February 27th, but there’s a report from azcentral.com in Phoenix that he’s expected to meet the Suns in Miami on Wednesday.

Booker did not accompany the team to Orlando for Phoenix’s game on Tuesday, and neither did Paul. The all-world point guard is dealing with a broken thumb, and will likely miss at least another month. Reserve forward Cameron Johnson also sat out versus the Magic due to a quad injury, leaving the team quite shorthanded.

Despite the lack of bodies, the Suns still pulled out a 102-99 victory. DeAndre Ayton poured in 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges blocked a potential game-tying three in the final seconds.

Cameron Payne filled in admirably for Paul once again in the starting rotation, scoring 18 points and dishing out 12 dimes. Payne has 44 assists in his past four games, 16 more than he’s ever had during any four-game stretch.

Phoenix improved to 3-1 this season without Booker and Paul, and sit comfortably atop the West standings with a league-high 52 wins, seven more than any other team.

Miami Heat Betting Analysis

While the Suns are hurting, the Heat are getting healthy. Victor Oladipo (torn quad) saw his first action since last April on Monday versus Houston, while Kyle Lowry returned from a four-game absence due to personal reasons.

With a fully stocked roster, the Heat dominated the Rockets 123-106. Tyler Herro led the way offensively with 31 points off the bench, while Oladipo contributed 11 points and 4 assists in 15 minutes of action.

Jimmy Butler also poured in 21, as Miami moved to 22 games over .500 (44-22) for the first time since the 2013-14 season. They’ve won three straight and seven of eight overall, and hold a three-game lead over Philadelphia atop the East standings.

Four of their past seven victories have come by at least 13 points, while only Phoenix (28-7) and Golden State (26-7) have a better record at home than the Heat (23-7).

On the injury front, Caleb Martin (Achilles) is questionable for Wednesday, while Markieff Morris (neck) remains out.

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Suns vs Heat Pick

Even if Booker does suit up, Phoenix will be hard-pressed to keep this game close. No one should expect Booker to exit the health and safety protocols at 100% if he does play, meaning there’s no guarantee he’ll reach his full minutes allotment.

The Suns’ record without Paul and Booker is impressive, but this Heat group is not a team you want to face shorthanded. At full strength, Miami is every bit as good as Phoenix and the numbers bear that out. The Heat and Suns are two of only three teams inside the top-9 in both offensive and defensive rating.

Miami has not only been winning recently, but they’ve also been covering as well. The Heat are 5-0 ATS in their last five outings, and 16-9 against the spread versus Western Conference teams this season.

Phoenix, on the other hand, has failed to cover five of its past six and is just 4-6 ATS this season on the second half of a back-to-back.

Pick: Miami Heat -7 (-110)

The post Suns vs Heat Odds, Spread & Picks appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

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Author: Stacy Hoffman