JEFF ALLEN GAME PREVIEW: MIAMI at ATLANTA
On the first main card of the NBA’s second half, we take a look at two of the first half’s underachievers, the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. The 29-24 Heat and 31-24 Hawks are firmly entrenched as the No.4-5 seeds in the Eastern Conference at this point but both teams have their work cut out in the second half and Miami in particular figures to be life and death and make the playoffs. The send out on this game was Atlanta -9.5 with the total 196 1/2. At this writing, both numbers are unchanged probably because of the fact that both Miami big men will miss the game.
Despite Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh being healthy and a favorable home game front loaded schedule in the first half, the Heat could not even finish in the top four in the East. Now Chris Bosh (19.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg.) could be lost for the season with a possible reccurrence of the blood clots that sidelined him for last year’s playoffs and Dwayne Wade has limited participation in practice due to soreness. The immensely talented but live wire Hassan Whiteside (12.1 ppg., 12.0 rpg.) is serving a team mandated suspension for an on the court blowup. Despite being players at the trade deadline, Miami could only manage to reduce it’s luxury tax by $25 million with a series of minor moves.
Last year, the Heat finished 60-22 and were the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This year, the Hawks have already lost 24 games and the organization is has already come to the conclusion that the team as comprised is going nowhere. The Hawk foundation of PG Jeff Teague (15.1 ppg., 5.5 apg), Al Horford (15.3 ppg., 6.9 rpg.) and sniper Kyle Korver (9.5, 3.9, 3.2) were all made available for trades. Only PF Paul Milsap (17.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg.) was untouchable and the team looks like an outfit that could be one and done in the playoffs or win one series at best.
Miami was 6-3 L9 before the break and are 3-1 in their L4 as a road dog. The Hawks were just 5-7 in it’s L12 but 5-2 in it’s L7 as a home favorite. These teams have met three times already with the Heat winning the last two after losing the prior seven games in the series. The three totals, 192-190-188, would have all fell short of tonight’s total. With both team 3-1 to the low in their last four games, under the total might be the way to look.