Favored Heat Have Cooled Off After Recent Surge

After winning 11 of 12 games to take over top spot in the Southeast, Miami (22-22 SU, 18-25-1 ATS) has lost four straight and is struggling to score. The Heat get a chance to turn things around against Portland (25-18, 21-22), which is 2-7 ATS in its last nine and ranks near the bottom of the NBA in defensive efficiency.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Oddsmakers were slow to post a line for this contest, likely due to Miami’s potential to make a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline. The Heat have been a dangerous team to back lately as short home favorites, going 2-5 SU and ATS in their last seven when laying 4 points or less at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Portland News & Notes

After winning the first three games of a five-game homestand, the Trail Blazers lost by 40 points to Dallas on Sunday and then lost 116-112 on Tuesday to a depleted Nets squad that was without Kyrie Irving and several other key players. Portland’s 27th-ranked defense deserves much of the blame, giving up 132 points to the Mavs and allowing Brooklyn to shoot 58.1 percent in the first half.

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum also weren’t their usual selves at the offensive end of the floor in those two contests. The backcourt duo combined to miss 26 of 36 shots from the field against the Nets and are just 7-for-40 from behind the arc in Portland’s last two games. In five games since returning from a broken foot, McCollum is shooting 33 percent from the field and has been held to 16 points or less in four of those contests.

Tuesday’s loss overshadowed a strong effort from center Enes Kanter, who pulled down 10 offensive rebounds on his way to a 19-point, 19-rebound, six-assist performance. Small forward Robert Covington was 4-for-6 from behind the arc and has hit at least two three-pointers in each of his last eight games.

Miami News & Notes

Rumors swirled this week that the Heat are interested in acquiring Kyle Lowry from the Raptors before Thursday’s trade deadline, and it’s not hard to understand why. Miami’s offense has sputtered badly over the past month, scoring more than 103 points in regulation time just twice in its last 10 games and going UNDER the total in eight of those contests.

Miami shot just 41 percent from the field in Tuesday’s 110-100 loss at home to Phoenix, the Heat’s fourth straight loss following an 11-1 SU spurt in their previous 12 games. Goran Dragic (lower back spasms) and Avery Bradley (right calf strain) were among the notable Heat players to sit out the contest.

Point guard Kendrick Nunn played 35 minutes in Dragic’s absence Tuesday and could be in for another heavy workload if Dragic doesn’t suit up against the Blazers or is dealt before the deadline. Nunn led the Heat with 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting vs Phoenix, including five three-pointers.

Betting Pick: Trail Blazers +4

The way Miami’s offense is playing right now, it’s difficult to imagine the Heat winning by a comfortable margin.