The Miami Heat (7-2 SU, 7-2 ATS) look to continue their hot start to the season as they visit the Denver Nuggets (5-4, 3-6) at Ball Arena on Monday. The Heat have won six of their last seven contests while the Nuggets are 3-3 in their last six games.
- Date/Time: November 8, 9 p.m. ET
- Arena: Ball Arena
- TV Coverage: Altitude, Bally Sports Sun
- Sportsbook Odds: Heat -2 | O/U 210 (Line History)
- Heat vs Nuggets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Heat opened as 2-point road favorites for Monday’s matchup with the total set at 210 points. The UNDER is 8-1 in Denver’s last nine games while Miami is 6-1 ATS in its last seven outings.
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Miami News & Notes
Miami had its five-game win streak snapped by the Boston Celtics in a 95-87 loss on Thursday but bounced back with a 118-115 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Tyler Herro led the scoring with 29 points while Jimmy Butler also did some damage with 27 points and six assists. Kyle Lowry added 20 points, 12 boards and 10 assists for a triple-double.
It’s still early in the season, but the offseason additions of Lowry, PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris have clearly helped the Heat reach the next level. Their .778 win percentage is third-best in the NBA behind only the Golden State Warriors (.889) and Philadelphia 76ers (.800), largely due to the team’s elite offense, ranked sixth in the league at 111.67 points per game.
Denver News & Notes
The Nuggets have had a difficult time gaining much traction this season, failing to win more than two consecutive games thus far. They eked out a 95-94 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday thanks to a last-second block from Nikola Jokic. The center led all players in scoring with 28 points while also pulling down 14 boards.
Jokic also leads the team in nearly every category this season, averaging 25.4 points, 13.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists.
The story of Denver’s season will be how the team fares without Jamal Murray. The 24-year-old is recovering from a torn ACL sustained in April and is out indefinitely.
How Miami Will Cover
The Heat have had their way with most opponents on the offensive end, having been held to less than 100 points just once this year, in their recent loss to Boston. The Nuggets boast the strongest defense in the NBA, allowing just 98.78 points per game, so the Heat will certainly be tested. But with several capable offensive weapons in Butler, Herro, Lowry and Bam Adebayo, they should be able to outscore Denver.
How Denver Will Cover
At just 100.67 points per game, the Nuggets’ 27th-ranked offense likely won’t overpower the Heat. The key to keeping this contest close will be to play a tight, defensive game. We know Jokic can score but he’ll also be relied upon heavily to protect the paint and mop up anything around the rim. The center has had as many as 19 rebounds and four blocks in a game this season, and he’ll likely need another monster defensive effort to keep the Heat at bay.
Computer Pick: Heat -2.5
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Denver is 5-1 in its last 6 games vs Miami.
- The UNDER is 4-2 in the last 6 meetings.
- The UNDER is 5-1 in Denver’s last 6 home games.
