Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers Prediction, 8/20/2020 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2020

Location: The Field House in Orlando, Florida

TV: ESPN

Odds/Point Spread: Miami -5.5

Total/Over-Under: 214.5

Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat are headed to The Field House on Thursday where they'll take on the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of their series. Indiana opens this matchup as 5.5-point dogs. The total is set at 214.5.

Miami leads the series 1-0 after winning Game 1 by a score of 113-101. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points, 3 boards, and 4 assists. T.J. Warren led Indiana with 22 points, 3 assists, and 8 rebounds in the loss. 

The Heat cover the spread 51.4% of the time, having gone 37-35-2 ATS. Indiana is covering the spread 56.3% of the time, going 40-31-3 against the spread.

Key Miami Heat Injuries

08/18/20 SF KZ Okpala Personal is questionable Thursday vs Indiana

Key Indiana Pacers Injuries

08/18/20 SG Victor Oladipo Eye left last game, is questionable Thursday vs Miami
07/24/20 PF Domantas Sabonis Foot is out indefinitely
02/24/20 SG Jeremy Lamb ACL is out for season

Player Spotlight

Bam Adebayo comes into this contest averaging 15.9 points per game while playing 33.6 minutes per night this season. He pulls down 10.2 rebounds per game and dishes out 5.1 assists per game as well. His field goal percentage is 56% while his free throw percentage currently sits at 69%. Jimmy Butler averages 19.9 points per game in 33.8 minutes per contest this season. He averages 6.0 assists per contest and 6.7 rebounds per game. His field goal percentage is 46% for the year while his free throw percentage is 83%.

Player Spotlight

Myles Turner averages 12.1 points per game while playing 29.5 minutes per contest this year. He grabs 6.6 rebounds per game and has 1.2 assists per contest on the year. His field goal percentage is 46% and his free throw percentage is at 75%. Malcolm Brogdon averages 16.5 points per game this season and he sees the court an average of 30.9 minutes per contest. He also averages 4.9 rebounds per contest and 7.1 assists per game. His field goal percentage is 44% and his free throw percentage is 89%.

Useful Team Statistics

Miami averages 112.0 points per contest this season, which ranks them 15th in the NBA. Their average scoring margin is 3.0 and their shooting percentage is 47% as a team, which has them ranked 8th. Behind the arc they shoot 38% which is good for 2nd in the league. They average 44.4 rebounds per game and 25.9 assists per game, which ranks them 17th and 5th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they rank 13th with 14.9 per game. The Heat allow 109.1 points per game to their opponents which ranks them 10th in the league. They also allow a 45% shooting percentage and a 35% average from behind the arc, ranking them 7th and 6th in those defensive categories. Opponents average 42.5 rebounds a game which ranks 3rd and they give up 24.6 assists per contest, which puts them in 15th place in the league. They force 14.0 turnovers per game which ranks them 10th in the league.

Useful Team Statistics

Indiana is 23rd in the league with 109.4 points per game this year. They are 2nd in the league in shooting at 48%, while their average scoring margin is 2.0. They shoot 36% from 3-point range, which is good for 14th in the NBA. They are 25th in the league in rebounding with 42.8 boards per game, and 7th in assists per contest with 25.9. The Pacers are 26th in turnovers per game with 13.2. The Pacers surrender 107.5 points per contest, which ranks them 3rd in the NBA. Their defense allows a 45% shooting percentage and a 34% average from 3-point range, ranking them 6th and 4th in those defensive statistics. They rank 6th with 23.1 assists allowed per contest and 16th with 45.2 rebounds surrendered per game. The Pacers are 18th in the NBA in forcing turnovers with 14.7 per game.

Advanced Statistics

The Heat are 7th in the league in defensive rating with 109.5, and their offensive rating of 112.5 is ranked 10th. They are 27th in the NBA in pace with 98.3 possessions per 48 minutes, and their eFG% of 55% is 3rd. As a unit they are 1st in the league in true shooting percentage with 59% and they shoot 3-pointers on 42% of their shot attempts, ranking 7th in the NBA. Miami is 7th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 13.5 times per 100 possessions while forcing 12.6 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 52%, which is 20th in the NBA.

Advanced Statistics

Indiana is 26th in the league in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12 times per 100 possessions while forcing 13 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 51%, which is 26th in the NBA. The Pacers are 19th in the league in defensive rating with 108, and their offensive rating of 110 is ranked 6th. They are 20th in the NBA in pace with 98.9 possessions per 48 minutes, and their eFG% of 53% is 12th. As a unit they are 18th in the league in true shooting percentage with 57% and they shoot 3-pointers on 32% of their shot attempts, ranking 30th in the NBA.

Who will win tonight's Heat/Pacers NBA game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take Miami -5.5

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