The NBA Playoffs continue Thursday night in Game 3 between the visiting Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers. The NBA Playoff odds for the game have the Heat favored by 2 points. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 pm start time and it will be televised live on ESPN. The spread shows that bookmakers have a prediction of a close win for the Heat.
Picks: The Pacers picked up a win in the second game of this series to even it up at 1-1 and take home court advantage away from the Miami Heat. LeBron James had to move to power forward in the second game to make up for Chris Bosh having to be out with an injury. He claimed he was "taxed" after the game because of the bashing he took inside with the Pacers' big guys. Both James and Dwyane Wade are going to have to continue to play way above the call of duty. Essentially this series is starting all over again in a Best of 5 playoff with each team picking up a win in the first two. The Miami Heat opened as 1-point favorites in this game but then the Pacers gained a lot of steam and became favorites themselves. However, now the Heat are back to being a 2-point favorite. The Pacers won a gritty, low-scoring game on Tuesday night, 78-75. Only Wade and James finished with more than five points for the Heat. James had 28 points in Game 2, Wade had 24. The rest of the Heat had 23. The score was evident of who dictated the style of play. Indiana is a team that likes to slow it down, milk the shot clock and take advantage of every possession. That alone is a major reason neither team got to 80 points. The Heat like to run around and put up a lot of shots. From 3-point range the Heat are just 1 for 22 in the series. Four Pacers finished in double figures as they beat up Miami inside on Tuesday. David West had 16 points and 10 rebounds while Paul George added 10 and 11. If the Pacers are able to continue to play tough inside and keep James and Wade as the only guys scoring point for the Heat, they'll win here tonight.
Prediction: We'll take the Heat. Miami didn't play well in Game 2 of the series and we're expecting the team to be able to turn things around tonight and pick up a tough, gritty win on the road. Indiana is going to want to slow down the game as much as possible. Miami will attempt to keep the game going with a faster-paced transitional game and I think that will be able to happen tonight. James and Wade aren't about to panic yet, but unless they win tonight, they might start to. Heat 92, Pacers 82
NBA Free Picks: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers BettingWhat NBA bettors need to know about Heat at Pacers - Game 3 - Including a free pick from Pregame.com's Stephen Nover with host Marco D'Angelo.