Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat Betting Pick & Prediction 1/17/25
At 8:00 ET, the Miami Heat (-119) will host the Denver Nuggets (+100) in a non-conference matchup. Miami (-1.5) is currently 8th in the Eastern Conference and has lost two straight games. Denver (24-16) is 4th in the Western Conference and 2nd in the Northwest Division.
This game will be played at the Kaseya Center in Miami and will be televised on ALT.
DENVER NUGGETS VS MIAMI HEAT BETTING PICK
The Pick: Denver Nuggets +1.5
This game will be played at Kaseya Center at 8:00 ET on Friday, January 17th.
WHY BET THE DENVER NUGGETS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 130-129 in favor of the Nuggets.
- Our projections have Nikola Jokic finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists.
- From the field, we have the Nuggets finishing with a field goal percentage of 49.0% and knocking down 12 threes.
Can Denver Stun the Crowd at Kaseya Center?
The Nuggets fell to 24-16 on the season after a 128-108 home loss to the Rockets on Wednesday. Denver entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread, losing by 20 points.
Houston took control early, outscoring Denver 41-25 in the 2nd quarter. The Nuggets couldn’t recover, trailing 102-81 going into the 4th. The teams played evenly in the 2nd half, with Denver edging Houston 27-26 in the 4th. The total points of 236.5 exceeded the O/U line of 224.5 by 11.5 points.
In their 128-108 loss to the Rockets, the Nuggets shot 53.3% from the field and hit 14 threes at a 48.3% clip. Christian Braun and Jamal Murray each scored 22 points, with Braun shooting 90.9% from the floor.
Murray connected on 4 threes, hitting 80% from deep, while Russell Westbrook added 17 points, making 3 threes at 60%. Braun and Murray both scored 9 points in the 3rd quarter.
Defensively, the Nuggets struggled in the 2nd quarter, giving up 41 points, which contributed to their 128-108 loss to the Rockets. Overall, Denver allowed Houston to shoot 52% from the field.
The Nuggets also had trouble defending the three, as the Rockets hit 17 threes on 44% shooting. Denver sent Houston to the line 17 times, where they made 13 free throws. The Nuggets recorded 4 steals and 7 blocks.
Can Miami Secure a Home Victory?
The Heat fell to 20-19 on the season after a 117-108 road loss to the Lakers on Wednesday. Miami, who entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 225 points exceeded the O/U line of 214.5 by 10.5 points.
Miami looked strong early, going on a 10-0 run to take a 49-41 lead and outscoring the Lakers 28-20 in the 2nd quarter. However, the Heat struggled in the 2nd half, getting outscored 29-19 in the 3rd and 34-23 in the 4th after leading 85-83 going into the final period.
Tyler Herro’s 34 points and 7 threes highlighted the Heat’s offensive effort in their 117-108 loss to the Lakers, as he shot 58.3% from deep and 66.7% overall. Miami connected on 16 threes at a 44.4% clip, finishing with a 53.4% field goal percentage.
Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic each added 12 points, with Jovic also dishing out 8 assists. Herro scored 16 points in the 1st quarter, while Highsmith added 7 in the 3rd.
Defensively, the Heat had a strong 2nd quarter, holding the Lakers to 20 points, but they gave up 34 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters, leading to a 117-108 loss. Miami allowed the Lakers to shoot 52% from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Heat gave up 13 threes on 38% shooting. They sent the Lakers to the line 14 times, where they hit 10 free throws. Miami finished with 34 defensive rebounds, allowing 6 offensive boards, and recorded 3 steals and 6 blocks.