Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards: Prediction, Starting Lineups and Betting Tips | March 31, 2024

On Sunday, the NBA schedule includes 10 games, one of which is the Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards matchup. This will be the fourth and last time the two teams face each other this season, and the Heat are aiming to secure their second series win in three years.

The Heat unexpectedly suffered a defeat against the Wizards in their previous encounter at the Kaseya Center on March 10. Despite winning the first two matchups convincingly, they found themselves trailing by 10 points with under three minutes remaining in the game, ultimately losing 110-108. In a last-ditch attempt to secure the win, Jimmy Butler took a buzzer-beating shot that unfortunately bounced off the back of the rim.

Despite consistently losing to the Heat in season series since the 2014-15 season, the Wizards have shown improvement in March after a winless February. Although they still rank among the worst teams in the NBA this season, their recent performance has been surprisingly strong.

NBA Game Preview: Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards

The upcoming match between the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards will take place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. The game is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. EST and will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Sun as well as MNMT Sports Network for viewers in the Washington, D.C. area and its surrounding regions.

The odds for the Heat to win are set at -525, while the Wizards have odds of +420.

Total (O/U): Heat o217.5 (-110) and Wizards u217.5 (-110)

“Miami Heat and Washington Wizards Face Off in Exciting Matchup”

The Miami Heat are striving to close the distance between themselves and the Indiana Pacers, who currently hold the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference. With only one game separating them, the Heat are determined to narrow the gap even further before their crucial game on April 7 in Indianapolis.

At the same time, the Washington Wizards are probably just aiming to prevent themselves from setting the record for the worst season in their franchise’s history. They must win four out of their remaining eight games in order to match the 18 wins achieved by the 1961-62 Chicago Packers.

Complete Breakdown of Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards Starting Lineups, Substitutions, and Rotation

Despite ongoing injuries, the Miami Heat are persevering, as three players, including Tyler Herro, will be absent for Sunday’s game. As a result, head coach Erik Spoelstra will most likely utilize the following starting five:

The lineup consists of Patty Mills at point guard, Terry Rozier at shooting guard, Jimmy Butler at small forward, Nikola Jokic at power forward, and Bam Adebayo at center.

The current rotation for Miami also features Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Thomas Bryant, and Delon Wright.

The injury report for the Washington Wizards includes seven players, among them starters Tyus Jones, Bilal Coulibaly, and Kyle Kuzma. If Kuzma, who is currently listed as questionable, is given the green light, the Wizards could potentially field the following lineup on Sunday:

The starting lineup for the team includes Jordan Poole at point guard, Corey Kispert at shooting guard, Deni Avdija at small forward, Kyle Kuzma at power forward, and Marvin Bagley III at center.

In addition to players like Jared Butler, Anthony Gill, and Johnny Davis, Wes Unseld Jr.’s current rotation also features Richaun Holmes. However, if Holmes is cleared to play, he will most likely replace Bagley as a starter.

Betting Tips for Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards

The line for Jimmy Butler’s points against the Wizards is set at 19.5, making it a favorable bet. Considering Butler’s potential revenge motivation, it’s likely he will have a strong scoring performance on Sunday. It would be wise to place your money on “Jimmy Buckets”surpassing 20 points.

Despite a challenging first year away from Golden State, Jordan Poole is predicted to exceed 17.5 points, making it a difficult decision. Nevertheless, Poole has shown significant improvement over the last month, making it a smart move to bet on him to surpass 17.5 points.

Predicting the Outcome of Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards Matchup

Despite potentially being short-handed, the Miami Heat are still the superior team to the Washington Wizards and are heavily favored to win Sunday’s game.

Despite having previously defeated Miami in their last matchup, Washington may not feel overly confident heading into the upcoming game. According to oddsmakers, the Heat are favored to win, but the Wizards are expected to at least cover the +10 spread and the total points are predicted to exceed 217.5.