Since their start in 1988, the Miami Heat have been one of the most successful franchises in the NBA. Miami has three NBA championships. Last June, the Heat were in the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons last year. Miami uses tenacious defense for its success. However, Miami’s lack of NBA future odds offense cost them in the 2023 NBA Finals. In turn, that scoring problem is proving to be a hindrance to the possibility of a repeat trip to the Finals this year. Additionally, Miami’s popgun offense is causing them to splash gamblers with red ink.
NBA 2024 Miami Heat Odds
| Miami Heat | Odds |
|---|---|
| 2024 NBA Championship Odds: | +4000 |
Miami Heat Team Overview
At the approach of the All-Star Break, the Miami Heat are 28-24 straight up, 21-28-1 against the spread, and 20-30 over/under the sports betting total. Late on, Miami has covered two out of their last ten games. At the same time, the Heat have gone under the total in eight of its previous ten matchups. Miami is 8th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. The Heat is 12 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Miami has NBA metrics of 27th for scoring offense, 27th for field goal percentage, 10th for 3-point field goal percentage, 3rd for free throw percentage, and 24th for offensive rebounding. By contrast, the Heat have NBA metrics of 7th for scoring defense, 18th for field goal percentage permitted, 16th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 13th for defensive rebounding.
Miami Heat Key Players and Coach
Head coach Erik Spoelstra is in the elite class of NBA bench bosses. The one-time wonderkid is now age 53 and a 2-time NBA champion. Since 2008-09, Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Heat. He is a student of former Heat coach and current team President Pat Riley, a Hall of Fame coaching legend. Spoelstra has a career NBA odds record of 704-491.
SF Jimmy Butler leads the Heat with 21.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Butler was the 30th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft out of Marquette by the Chicago Bulls. He is a 6-time NBA All-Star. Previously, Butler played for the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Heat since 2019-20.
In sum, PG Tyler Herro is averaging 21.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. Herro was the 13th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Kentucky by the Heat. In 2022, Herro was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
C Bam Adebayo is averaging 20.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest. He was the 14th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft5 out of Kentucky by the Heat. Also, Adebayo is a 3-time NBA All-Star, including this season.
Miami Heat Team History
Dwyane Wade is the most accomplished player in the history of the franchise. He was taken with the 5th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Wade was a 13-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA selection. Most important of all, Wade led the Heat to their first NBA title in 2006.
Of course, Wade did convince LeBron James and Chris Bosh to come to Miami in the summer of 2010. That made the Heat the preseason favorites to win the NBA title for four straight years. They did win the Eastern Conference four straight times. Miami won back-to-back NBA titles in 2012 and 2013. Yet the Heat needed a miracle three-pointer from Ray Allen to win the second title.