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(NBA) Miami vs. Oklahoma City,
11/07/2016 3:00 PM, Score: 85 - 97
Point Spread: -5.00 | -109.00 Oklahoma City (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -5.00 | -109.00 Oklahoma City (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 2-3 Miami Heat will visit Oklahoma City to take on the 5-1 Thunder on Monday. The Heat lost LBJ who returned to Cleveland a few years back, then Wade signed a free agent deal with the Bulls over this past summer and Chris Bosh has been sidelined with health issues. As for OKC, Kevin Durant made the off-season's biggest splash by leaving the Thunder for the Warriors, plus Serge Ibaka was traded to Orlando.
Miami: The Heat re-signed Hassan Whiteside to a new deal prior to the season and he's been delivering big time, averaging 20.0 & 14.2. PG Dragic's numbers (19.4-5.2-6.6) are up with Wade gone and third-player Johnson (15.4 & 4.0) and second-year player Winslow (13.0-5.0-4.4) are also assuming bigger roles this season. Whiteside has set a franchise record with five straight double-doubles to open a season.
Oklahoma City: With Durant in Oakland, the Thunder are Westbrook's team and he's averaging 33.2-9.7-9.0 six games into the current season. The Thunder won four in a row to open the season with Westbrook averaging 37.8 PPG but he flopped in his showdown with Durant and the Warriors, making just 4 of 15 shots in a 122-96 loss. However, he let his teammates take on some extra work as Oklahoma City found the win column again on Saturday, beating the Timberwolves 111-92. "We played our ball," guard Andre Roberson told reporters. "Everybody played together. We got stops on defense and got out in transition. That's what we like to do and pride ourselves on." Oladipo (15.5) is Westbrook's new backcourt sidekick while the two-headed center duo of Adams (11.0 & 8.3) and Kanter (10.5 & 7.0) will continue to be an piece of any success the Thunder wind up having in the 2016-17 season.
The pick: Miami is the better rested team but expect the Heat to have a hard time staying with the Thunder here in OKC. Miami averages just 98.6 PPG (23) on 42.8 percent shooting (24) and this OKC squad is a very different team at home. The Thunder are averaging only 94.7 PPG in three road games but here at home, have averaged 112.7 PPG. OKC is an 8* play.
Miami: The Heat re-signed Hassan Whiteside to a new deal prior to the season and he's been delivering big time, averaging 20.0 & 14.2. PG Dragic's numbers (19.4-5.2-6.6) are up with Wade gone and third-player Johnson (15.4 & 4.0) and second-year player Winslow (13.0-5.0-4.4) are also assuming bigger roles this season. Whiteside has set a franchise record with five straight double-doubles to open a season.
Oklahoma City: With Durant in Oakland, the Thunder are Westbrook's team and he's averaging 33.2-9.7-9.0 six games into the current season. The Thunder won four in a row to open the season with Westbrook averaging 37.8 PPG but he flopped in his showdown with Durant and the Warriors, making just 4 of 15 shots in a 122-96 loss. However, he let his teammates take on some extra work as Oklahoma City found the win column again on Saturday, beating the Timberwolves 111-92. "We played our ball," guard Andre Roberson told reporters. "Everybody played together. We got stops on defense and got out in transition. That's what we like to do and pride ourselves on." Oladipo (15.5) is Westbrook's new backcourt sidekick while the two-headed center duo of Adams (11.0 & 8.3) and Kanter (10.5 & 7.0) will continue to be an piece of any success the Thunder wind up having in the 2016-17 season.
The pick: Miami is the better rested team but expect the Heat to have a hard time staying with the Thunder here in OKC. Miami averages just 98.6 PPG (23) on 42.8 percent shooting (24) and this OKC squad is a very different team at home. The Thunder are averaging only 94.7 PPG in three road games but here at home, have averaged 112.7 PPG. OKC is an 8* play.
