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Nets vs. Heat prediction and odds for Sunday, January 8 (Nets stay hot)

By Peter Dewey

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball against Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball against Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Brooklyn Nets are the hottest team in the NBA, winning nine of their last 10 games and moving all the way to the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference.

Brooklyn has an intriguing matchup on Sunday with the Miami Heat, a team the Nets could very well find themselves matched up against in the playoffs this season.

The Heat have been a bit of a disappointment this season, dealing with a ton of injuries and falling to the No. 8 seed in the conference after finishing last season with the top spot.

Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and others have missed time with different ailments, and Herro and Bam Adebayo are questionable for this game. Caleb Martin is listed as doubtful.

Miami is going to have a hard time slowing down the Nets’ high-powered attack, and the team certainly needs at least one of Herro or Adebayo to play to have a shot to keep up on offense.

Can Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving shrink the gap for the East’s No. 1 seed to just one game with a win?

Here’s a look at the latest odds and a pick for this matchup:

Nets vs. Heat odds, spread and total

Nets vs. Heat prediction and pick

There is a huge difference in offense between these two teams, as Brooklyn ranks fourth in the league in offensive rating while Miami ranks 24th.

The Nets are now 6-6 against the spread as road favorites after covering against a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team on Friday, and I think they’re in a spot to do that again tonight.

Even if Miami’s stars all suit up, the Heat simply haven’t been a good team to bet on this season, going 15-23-2 against the spread.

They can attempt to slow the game down and make it a defensive battle all they want, but without Martin they lack the wing defense to deal with Durant for an entire game.

I think this spread is too short given how well the Nets have played lately, so I’ll gladly lay the points with them in Miami.

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.