Half-time report
There are only two quarters left between the Heat and the victory they were favored to achieve tonight. They took a 56-51 lead against the Pelicans.
The Heat came into the game with extra motivation after the loss they suffered the last time these two teams faced each other. We’ll see if they are able to flip the script or if it will just be more of the same.
Who’s playing
New Orleans Pelicans @ Miami Heat
Current records: New Orleans 5-28, Miami 16-14
How to watch
- When: Wednesday, January 1, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Or: Kaseya Center – Miami, Florida
- TV: Gulf Coast Sports
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $58.00
What you need to know
The Pelicans have played five home games but will have to dust off their road jerseys soon. They will venture away from home to take on the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Kaseya Center. The Pelicans are expected to lose this one by 8.5 points, so we’ll see if that gives them some motivation.
Last Monday, the Pelicans didn’t have enough to beat the Clippers and lost 116-113. New Orleans led 59-45 in the second half, but could not maintain the lead.
Even though they lost, the Pelicans worked as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. This is a new trend for them: They averaged 23.6 assists per game earlier this season, but in their last five games they’ve averaged 29.8.
The Rockets usually have all the answers at home, but on Sunday the Heat proved too much of a challenge. They managed a 104-100 victory against Houston. The victory came thanks to a strong push at the 5:19 mark of the third quarter, as Miami faced a 73-61 deficit.
The Heat’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tyler Herro led the charge by nearly posting a double-double with 27 points and nine assists. Nikola Jovic was another player who made the difference, going 5 for 9 on his way to 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
New Orleans has been on a rocky road recently after losing 19 of its last 20 games, which took a major dent in its 5-28 record this season. As for Miami, they have performed well recently as they have won three of their last four matchups, which significantly improved their record to 16-14 this season.
While only the Heat took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams kept bettors happy by covering the spread. Looking ahead, the Heat are the favorites in this one, as experts expect them to win by 8.5 points. This game will be New Orleans’ 15th straight time as an underdog (so far in that stretch they are 6-8 ATS).
The Pelicans won against the Heat in their previous meeting in March 2024 by a conclusive 111-88. Do the Pelicans have another win up their sleeve, or will the Heat turn things around? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Miami is a heavy 8.5 point favorite against New Orleans, according to the latest NBA Odds.
Oddsmakers moved slightly against the Heat, as the game opened with the Heat as a 10-point favorite.
The over/under is 222 points.
See NBA Pick for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Miami has won 8 of its last 10 games against New Orleans.
- March 22, 2024 – New Orleans 111 vs. Miami 88
- February 23, 2024 – Miami 106 vs. New Orleans 95
- January 22, 2023 – Miami 100 vs. New Orleans 96
- January 18, 2023 – Miami 124 vs. New Orleans 98
- February 10, 2022 – Miami 112 vs. New Orleans 97
- November 17, 2021 – Miami 113 vs. New Orleans 98
- March 4, 2021 – Miami 103 vs. New Orleans 93
- December 25, 2020 – Miami 111 vs. New Orleans 98
- March 6, 2020 – New Orleans 110 vs. Miami 104
- November 16, 2019 – Miami 109 vs. New Orleans 94
