Heat Visit Suns After Disappointing Loss to Lakers - Friday Pick and Props

The Heat are coming off a weird loss at L.A. when the Lakers beat them without LeBron James or Anthony Davis but they won at Utah and the other L.A. (Clippers) in their two prior games. Caleb Martin has been starting for the Heat but has played just 14 and 21 minutes in each of his last two games and is questionable for Friday. Stay away from him in fantasy and props, and don’t be surprised if he’s out tonight with his quad injury. Nikola Jovic (back), Duncan Robinson (finger) and Omer Yurtseven all remain out for the Heat. Miami will start Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and if Martin can’t go it would make sense for Haywood Highsmith to get the call, as he started the last two times Martin was out, but didn’t do much. We’d avoid him, as well. The key for the Heat is that Butler and Adebayo will be out there tonight and they’re playing well on both ends of the floor as a team right now. Well, except for that Lakers loss. Adebayo has scored at least 30 in three straight games and has 13 rebounds in each of his last two. Butler has scored at least 20 in eight of his last 10 games and only has one dud over that stretch when he scored just nine points against the Clippers on Monday when he shot 2-of-8.

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The Suns are banged up and reeling, losers of four straight games and seven of their last eight, with their only recent win coming in Memphis on Dec. 27. The loss of Devin Booker (groin) is mostly to blame, along with a fairly tough schedule. Booker’s out until late January so there’s not a lot of relief in sight. Cameron Payne (foot) and Cameron Johnson (knee), two key players for the Suns, have also been out for extended time periods, which also isn’t helping. And they’ll both be in street clothes again tonight. The Suns will likely run Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges, Dario Saric and Deandre Ayton out there again tonight. Paul led the way with 25 points, eight dimes and three 3-pointers in a tough 90-88 loss to the Cavs on Wednesday, while Ayton came through with 15 points and 18 rebounds in that one. CP3 has scored at least 20 in three of his last four games, Ayton had a couple of sub-par games before Wednesday’s explosion, and Shamet has scored in double digits in five of his last six games, which includes a couple 31-point games. Bridges has scored in double figures in six straight games but has only topped 17 points one time during that stretch. 

The Suns struggle to win without Booker and the Heat have looked very good lately, for the most part. They likely just overlooked the star-less Lakers in the last one and should be able to bounce back tonight. Top Oddscrowd bettor Bochbet like the Heat minus the points and the Oddscrowd algorithm gives the Heat a 2.3% + EV Edge to the Heat Moneyline (-130). And we’re in agreement with both, thinking the Heat will bounce back from Wednesday’s disaster and take care of business in Phoenix tonight. 

Pick: Heat -2.5

Prop 1: Bam Adebayo Over 32.5 combined points & rebounds -113 at FanDuel

Prop 2: Deandre Ayton Over 27.5 combined points & rebounds -104 at FanDuel

Prop 3: Chris Paul Over 24.5 combined points & assists -122 at FanDuel