Miami Heat at Utah Jazz 2010 NBA Preview, Odds, and Predictions: LeBron James leads the Miami Heat on the road to the Pepsi Center to take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night at 9:00 PM ET. The Jazz are 16-6 good for 1st in the Northwest while the Heat are on a 5 game winning streak since a players only meeting after a loss to Dallas and are 14-8 3rd in the Southeast. “Of course we’ve all played together in the All-Star Game and the Olympics,” Wade said. “But it’s not the same as it is here in Miami. We’re all good friends, but as good friends, sometimes you don’t want to say something to step on someone’s toes. “And that meeting let us know to be friends and to be real with each other. If we see something wrong with our game, point it out.” “I think we all looked at each other and we (held) each other accountable for our games,” Wade said. “I hear from LeBron all the time now that I’m the worst finisher in the league now because I can’t make a layup sometimes. “But it helps me out because now I want to prove him wrong. We just stay on each other, and I think that meeting kind of helped us going forward to let everyone know, ‘It’s fine, I can take it,’ and we’ve been doing it.” The Heat has had some soft games during this run and the Jazz on the road will give them a test. The odds makers at Bodog have the Miami Heat a -1 point favorite on the road against the Utah Jazz.
The Heat is coming off a victory against the Milwaukie Bucks on the road 88-78 to move to 9-13 ATS for the season. Shooting guard Dwayne Wade led all scorers with 25 points and 14 rebounds as well as 5 assists. Forward LeBron James added 17 points, 6 boards, and 6 dimes while Chris Bosh added 16 points and 12 boards. The big three seem to be gelling. Vegas odds makers have the Miami Heat +220 to win the 2010-2011 NBA Championship.
The Jazz are coming off a win 94-85 at home against the Memphis Grizzlies moving to 13-8-1 ATS for the season. Guard Deron Williams led the Jazz with 27 points and 8 assists. The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah’s last 5 games when playing at home against Miami. Vegas odds makers have the over/under for the total score at 190 points combined of the Utah Jazz and Miami Heat.
I predict the Heat win on the road!