Heat Visit Rockets in Matchup of Sputtering Offenses

After winning six straight games last month, the Rockets (11-13 SU, 10-14 ATS) have fallen back to earth with four losses in their last five. Houston looks to break out of its funk when it hosts the Heat (10-14 SU, 8-15-1 ATS), who have won three straight but have covered just two of their last nine.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Heat have struggled in the road favorite role dating back to last season. Excluding last summer’s neutral-court games in the Orlando bubble, Miami is 7-10 SU and 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games when laying points as the visitor.

Miami News & Notes

The Heat have made the most of a recent soft schedule, winning their last three games and four of six against sub-.500 opponents. Miami completed a home-and-home sweep of the Knicks on Tuesday, overcoming a late deficit by closing with a 22-12 run in a 98-96 victory. Jimmy Butler stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal.

Whenever Butler wasn’t on the floor, however, the Heat struggled badly in their second straight game without injured guard Goran Dragic. Miami was outscored by 15 points when Butler was on the bench and allowed New York to go on a 15-0 run in the second quarter when he and Kelly Olynyk were resting.

That disparity might create some live betting opportunities to fade the Heat when Butler is substituted out of Thursday’s game. Miami’s been a dangerous team to back in any fashion lately, going 2-7 ATS in its last nine games with one of those covers coming by half a point. Lack of scoring punch has been a big factor in those ATS woes as the Heat scored 105 points or less in six of those nine contests.

Houston News & Notes

The Rockets’ roller-coaster season is currently trending down as Houston has followed up a six-game winning streak by losing four of its last five. The latest defeat came Tuesday in New Orleans when the Rockets allowed a season-high 130 points in a 29-point loss to the Pelicans that was Houston’s fifth game in a seven-day span.

Lack of size may have contributed to the blowout defeat more than fatigue, however. Without starting center and leading scorer Christian Wood in the lineup, the Rockets were pushed around the interior all evening. Houston allowed 60 points in the paint, gave up 15 offensive rebounds and allowed Rockets guard Josh Hart to snatch a career-high 17 boards.

The absence of Wood, who is out indefinitely with a right ankle sprain, has also been felt on the offensive end. Houston has averaged 100.3 points in three games without its star center as DeMarcus Cousins hasn’t been able to fill the void, scoring just 28 points in those three contests. Most of the Rockets’ offense Tuesday came from guards John Wall and Eric Gordon, who combined for 48 of Houston’s 101 points.

Betting Pick: UNDER 219.5

Neither offense is clicking at the moment and Houston has gone UNDER in eight of its last nine at home.