Maybe it's good to get away. After losing three in a row at home, the Miami Heat packed a bag, hit California and just posted a 114-98 win against the Golden State Warriors Warriors. The Heat closed as a nine-point underdog, covered with ease, and the total points scored went UNDER the posted total of 217.5.
As everyone knows, Jimmy Butler has been suspended but Miami didn't have a problem in the second game of the six-game road trip. The Utah Jazz came into the new year having lost 13 of 16 games but have put together a little mini run, winning two of the last three. And if you're looking for a money machine, the Jazz have covered eight of their last 10.
Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz Betting Odds
Preview: Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz, 9 p.m. ET
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Heat | -5.5 (-110) | -220 | O 223 (-110) |
| Utah Jazz | +5.5 (-110) | +184 | U 223 (-110) |
Odds as of January 9, 2025 at FanDuel
Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz Expert Picks
Miami Heat ATS -5.5 (-110)
First a word about hair. If I had any, there is no doubt that I would color it green like Butler, or even do a man bun. I would also rock that crazy emo wig Butler wore last year at a press conference before the season started.
Enough about my hair, though, and on to making some money. These two teams met in Miami back on January 4, and the Heat were embarrassed, humiliated, blown out, 136-100. I looked back over past scores and I can not remember an Eric Spoelstra team losing by THIRTY SIX POINTS, at HOME! Obviously, the Butler saga has been the elephant in the room, but getting smoked by a lousy Utah team that is sitting at 9-26 ain't pretty. So, revenge is on the table for sure.
Looked back at the stats from that game in Miami and it was UGLY from start to finish. The Heat hit on just 35 of 80 (43.8%) and only 9 of 35 (25.7%) from downtown. And they were SMOKED on the glass with just 32 boards compared to Utah's 57. However, Miami got some real juice off the bench in the 114-98 win over Golden State on Tuesday night. Nikola Jovic played 34 minutes and scored 20 points. Duncan Robinson played 21 minutes and put up 12 points while Alec Burks saw 25 minutes and netted 11 points. Utah's last outing was a 124-121 loss to the Hawks when Atlanta's Trae Young heaved a shot from half court at the buzzer to win the game. The Jazz still managed to cover as a 5.5-point dog, but didn't get much help from the bench players who managed a total of 27 points. And gotta throw a huge shoutout to Utah center Walker Kessler. Not only is the kid gonna be a multi millionaire soon, his girlfriend Abbie Stockard, a nursing student and cheerleader at Auburn University, was crowned Miss America 2025.
I'm gonna work the revenge angle and throw a nice sized handful of chips at Miami to cover.
Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz News & Updates
No news yet on the status of Miami's Jimmy Butler. Will he stay or will he go? He was suspended for seven games, and will miss tonight against the Jazz. He will be eligible to come back when the Heat return to Miami to host the Nuggets on January 17.
For the Jazz, two very important pieces are on the way back. John Collins could return as early as tonight against the Heat while Jordan Clarkson is not expected to return until January 23.
Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz Betting Trends
- Miami has covered just three of its last seven on the road.
- Miami has gone OVER in four of its last five games.
- Utah has covered eight of its last 10 overall and has gone OVER in 11 of the last 15.
*all betting trends courtesy of Outlier
