Jimmy Butler makes his return to Miami tonight for the first time since being traded to Golden State. Will he have something to prove?
Let's take a look at Warriors vs Heat picks and predictions from SBR's Zach Hanshew:
Warriors -4.5 (-112 FanDuel)
"Golden State is one of the hottest teams in the Association since trading for Butler, winning eight of its last 10. Meanwhile, Miami recently snapped a nine-game losing streak with a win over the lowly Charlotte Hornets.
The Warriors are surging at just the right time, and Butler will surely be motivated to pour it on in front of an arena he called home for the last five and a half seasons. The Heat are 3-10 straight up and 7-6 ATS as home underdogs. The Warriors are 12-7 straight up as road favorites and 9-9-1 ATS."
Jimmy Butler 25+ points (+210 FanDuel)
"After the weeks-long saga leading up to the Butler trade, it will be impossible not to tune in for this game. Butler took the Heat to two championships, showing how productive he could be when the lights were the brightest. Both boxes will be checked tonight, and I expect Butler to put on a show.
Butler has averaged 19 points across his last nine games, posting at least 25 points three times, including a 25-point showing in Saturday’s loss to the Hawks. In that nine-game span, he also scored 23 and 24 in two more games.
The Heat rank 12th in defensive rating on the season at 112.7, but over the last five, the team is 20th with a 116.5 rating. This isn’t a scary matchup for Butler, which only sweetens the juicy plus-money odds. I’m targeting this alt line for what should be a “Playoff Jimmy” type of performance."
Andrew Wiggins 25+ points (+175)
"The major headline for this game is Butler’s return to Miami, but Wiggins facing his former team should be more than a footnote. Wiggins, whose strong play helped Golden State win the 2022 NBA title, has thrived as a scorer since arriving in Miami. This game will mean something to him, too.
Wiggins has averaged 21 points with the Heat, including 23 points across eight games at home and 17.8 across five games on the road. Over the last three weeks, Wiggins leads Miami in usage rate at a whopping 29.8, and his 23.7 points are tops among Heat players.
Wiggins has scored 72 points across his last two games, and like Butler, I’m not content settling for the offered points line, set at just 22.5. I expect Wiggins to score 25 for a third straight game tonight when the team that traded him comes to town."
Stephen Curry Over 5.5 assists (+110 DraftKings)
"Curry (hip) traveled with the team to Miami and practiced Monday, which bodes well for his chances of taking the court against the Heat. Tonight’s game will be about Butler, and I expect Curry to feed him the rock and rack up assists.
Curry is averaging six assists per game this season, but he’s averaged 6.3 across his last 13 and hit the Over on this line seven times in that span. Curry has dished six assists in 35 of 60 games overall, including 19 of 30 on the road, where he’s averaged 6.6.
The Heat have allowed the sixth-most assists this season at 9.5, setting Curry up nicely to cash this modest assists line at plus-money odds."
Let's take a look at Warriors vs Heat picks and predictions from SBR's Zach Hanshew:
Warriors -4.5 (-112 FanDuel)
"Golden State is one of the hottest teams in the Association since trading for Butler, winning eight of its last 10. Meanwhile, Miami recently snapped a nine-game losing streak with a win over the lowly Charlotte Hornets.
The Warriors are surging at just the right time, and Butler will surely be motivated to pour it on in front of an arena he called home for the last five and a half seasons. The Heat are 3-10 straight up and 7-6 ATS as home underdogs. The Warriors are 12-7 straight up as road favorites and 9-9-1 ATS."
Jimmy Butler 25+ points (+210 FanDuel)
"After the weeks-long saga leading up to the Butler trade, it will be impossible not to tune in for this game. Butler took the Heat to two championships, showing how productive he could be when the lights were the brightest. Both boxes will be checked tonight, and I expect Butler to put on a show.
Butler has averaged 19 points across his last nine games, posting at least 25 points three times, including a 25-point showing in Saturday’s loss to the Hawks. In that nine-game span, he also scored 23 and 24 in two more games.
The Heat rank 12th in defensive rating on the season at 112.7, but over the last five, the team is 20th with a 116.5 rating. This isn’t a scary matchup for Butler, which only sweetens the juicy plus-money odds. I’m targeting this alt line for what should be a “Playoff Jimmy” type of performance."
Andrew Wiggins 25+ points (+175)
"The major headline for this game is Butler’s return to Miami, but Wiggins facing his former team should be more than a footnote. Wiggins, whose strong play helped Golden State win the 2022 NBA title, has thrived as a scorer since arriving in Miami. This game will mean something to him, too.
Wiggins has averaged 21 points with the Heat, including 23 points across eight games at home and 17.8 across five games on the road. Over the last three weeks, Wiggins leads Miami in usage rate at a whopping 29.8, and his 23.7 points are tops among Heat players.
Wiggins has scored 72 points across his last two games, and like Butler, I’m not content settling for the offered points line, set at just 22.5. I expect Wiggins to score 25 for a third straight game tonight when the team that traded him comes to town."
Stephen Curry Over 5.5 assists (+110 DraftKings)
"Curry (hip) traveled with the team to Miami and practiced Monday, which bodes well for his chances of taking the court against the Heat. Tonight’s game will be about Butler, and I expect Curry to feed him the rock and rack up assists.
Curry is averaging six assists per game this season, but he’s averaged 6.3 across his last 13 and hit the Over on this line seven times in that span. Curry has dished six assists in 35 of 60 games overall, including 19 of 30 on the road, where he’s averaged 6.6.
The Heat have allowed the sixth-most assists this season at 9.5, setting Curry up nicely to cash this modest assists line at plus-money odds."