It's important to put the schedule to work for you. This is the 4th and final game of a 4-game homestand for the Heat. They play their next game at Washington and then they have 2 more difficult games at home, followed by 3 on the road. They are already 1-2 in the first 3 games. They are also 6-1-1 versus the spread in 8 tries, after playing their previous 3 games at home. If you add it all up, the Heat absolutely need to take advantage of this easier opponent. Its the largest pointspread which they've been asked to cover all season and there is a good reason for that.

The Trail Blazers, 1-5 versus the spread against Southeast Division teams, are really bad. They are 19-54 on the season. The Heat have had 2 days off and the Washington game isn't until Sunday. They won by 10 at Portland and this will be an even bigger "cakewalk!"