Miami, Brooklyn Headed for Another Shootout

After coming oh so close to an upset win the first time around, the Miami Heat will look to get the job done Monday night in their rematch with the Brooklyn Nets. The host Nets (10-8 SU, 7-11 ATS) prevailed 128-124 in the first matchup Saturday and are a hefty favorite over a Miami team (6-9 SU, 6-8-1 ATS) that will once again be without a handful of players.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Brooklyn opened as an 8-point home favorite, but the line is now -7.5 pretty much across the board. The Sportsbook total of 234 has risen either a half-point or full point depending on the sportsbook.

Miami News & Notes

The Heat have to be one of the most frustrated teams in the league as COVID-19 continues to play havoc with the NBA. The defending East champs will have to once again make do without star forward Jimmy Butler and guard Avery Bradley due to health and safety guidelines, while Tyler Herro (neck), Meyers Leonard (shoulder) and Mo Harkless (thigh) are also out.

That puts the pressure back on the hefty shoulders of big man Bam Adebayo, who will likely see massive usage again Monday. Adebayo is coming off one of the most impressive games of his career – he had 41 points and nine assists in Saturday’s loss to the Nets – and is a sensational daily fantasy play in all formats due to his role in the offense and his hefty minutes expectation.

Brooklyn News & Notes

The Nets are mostly healthy, and that is going to create plenty of headaches for opposing defenses. The troika of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving finally proved to be as lethal as advertised, combining for 71 points, 17 rebounds and 22 assists in Saturday’s victory. Brooklyn is 3-2 SU but has just one cover in five games since acquiring Harden from the Houston Rockets.

Harden’s arrival might enhance the Nets’ shot at winning the NBA title (they’re currently at +300, second only to the defending champion Lakers), but it’s given bettors and DFS players headaches. There’s no way of knowing who will have the hot hand on a given night, though it does appear that the UNDER on Harden’s point total is a decent play for the time being.

Betting Pick: OVER 235 (-110)

There won’t be any defense played at Barclays Center on Monday night, so why sweat an UNDER play when you can cheer on all those buckets instead?