Washington Wizards vs Miami Heat Prediction, Betting Odds, Picks

• The Washington Wizards look for a victory after a Boxing Day loss.
• Jimmy Butler leads the Miami Heat after a shorthanded Boxing Day victory over the Magic.
• The Heat and Wizards have split their 2021-2022 season series so far, 1-1.

Washington Wizards vs Miami Heat Odds

Odds provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

Washington Wizards vs Miami Heat Predictions and Picks

Both of these Eastern Conference teams are missing a number of key players for this match. While the Wizards have improved their depth, they’re still severely lacking against a well-drilled Miami Heat team who are bolstered by some returning players.

Pick:

Miami Heat def. Washington Wizards (-275)

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Injury Report

How can the Wizards beat the Heat?

The Washington Wizards have a tough night on their hands as Bradley Beal isn’t expected to play and their offence grows significantly weaker without him. If they want to beat Miami, they must limit their turnovers.

In Miami’s last game, a win over the Orlando Magic, they were able to force 18 turnovers. The Wizards gave up just 8 turnovers to a similarly defensively focused Philadelphia 76ers team in their last game.

If Washington can limit their turnovers and find efficient opportunities on offence, they have a good chance against the Heat. If they are careless, the Heat will capitalize regardless of who is available.

Wizards Key Player: (C) Montrezl Harrell

Things got heated between Joel Embiid and Montrezl Harrell after this play ? pic.twitter.com/pbJTzRwrg0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 27, 2021

The Wizards are going to be missing a few key ball handlers in this game, but it’ll be the big men that make the difference in this matchup. A force off the bench, Montrezl Harrell must take advantage of Miami’s thin frontcourt lineup.

Harrell is coming off of a 15-point, 4 rebound performance against the Philadelphia 76ers. While his ejection against the Sixers didn’t help his cause, he looks to have the advantage against Omer Yurtseven and Udonis Haslem.

Without their key scorer in Bradley Beal, Harrell’s production off the bench will be crucial. Easy finishes with few rim protectors could open up the whole game for Washington.

How can the Heat beat the Wizards?

The Miami Heat are coming off of a low-scoring victory over the Orlando Magic. If they want to take down a high-tempo Wizards, team, they’ll need to find scoring from the deeper members of their bench.

In their last match, the Heat bench accounted for 28 of the team’s 93 points. Caleb Martin and Udonis Haslem stepped up for 25 of that 28, but they’ll need even more when Tyler Herro returns to the lineup.

The Heat are solid defensively, so their success will be based on how well they can create for each other. Gabe Vincent and Tyler Herro stepped up their playmaking in their last game, leaving head coach Erik Spoelstra to expect the same.

Heat Key Player: (G) Tyler Herro

Tyler Herro just got EJECTED ?
(via @BallyHEAT) pic.twitter.com/lHTqQVrMPo

— Overtime (@overtime) December 26, 2021

Sophomore guard Tyler Herro is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. After being ejected from his last game, Herro must make up for it with a good performance against the Wizards.

With just Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson remaining as Miami’s usual starters, Herro’s production off the bench is crucial to Miami’s success. In his 19 minutes of play, Herro posted 2 points, 8 assists, and a steal on 1 of 5 shooting from the field.

It’s clear that Herro can affect the game in many ways, but his ability to score the ball is still most important when he’s leading the bench unit. With so few scorers available, Herro must make an impact for Miami to win.

How to Watch Washington Wizards vs Miami Heat