Heat vs Mavericks Betting Odds – Wade-less Heat no match for Mavs in Dallas

Ask an online betting player what they think of Miami’s chances without Dwyane Wade, and you’ll probably get a big laugh. The Heat is facing that scenario this Saturday as they head into Dallas to face the new-look Mavericks, who added a crucial weapon to their offensive arsenal. With no Wade in the lineup, the Heat are weakened at both ends of the court, and it’ll take a massive effort to beat the Mavericks on the road.

The Storyline: Heat vs Mavericks Betting Odds
This will be the second half of a back-to-back for both teams as the Heat will be in Memphis on Friday night, while the Mavericks will head to Orlando to face the Magic. The Heat will be without Wade, who left Wednesday’s win in New Jersey with a calf injury. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are still working in Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson after their big trade with Washington, but Butler and Haywood played very well in Wednesday’s win over Phoenix.

Offensive Matchups: Heat vs Mavericks Betting Odds
The Heat couldn’t manage to swing a deal for Amare Stoudamire, and that could come back to bite them as Wade is now out. Wade said he heard a pop against the Nets, which isn’t a good sign for a team that so dependent on one player. Wade leads the team in points and assists, and the offense is basically ran through him. We all remember how terrible the Heat were without Wade a couple of years ago, but this could be a big opportunity for Michael Beasley to step up.
Butler gives the Mavericks yet another scoring option, freeing up space for Dirk Nowitzki. Six players reached double figures against the Suns, and with a point guard like Jason Kidd running the show, Dallas will be a handful down the stretch. The Mavericks are 13th in points scored, and as Butler gets more comfortable in the team, they should be in the top 10 by season’s end.

Betting Edge: Mavericks

Defensive Matchups: Heat vs Mavericks Betting Odds
Miami’s sportsbook odds are basically hinging on two things: Wade’s health and their defense. The Heat are fifth in the league in points allowed, and they’re 6-18 when the opposition scores 100 points or more. Jermaine O’Neal and Udonis Haslem hold it down in the post for the Heat, but losing Wade hurts their perimeter defense. Mario Chalmers will be back after missing nine games with a thumb injury.
Haywood was brought in to shore up the Mavericks’ defense, and after allowing eight straight opponents to score 100 points or more, Dallas has kept their last two opponents under 100 points. Holding Phoenix under 100 points is no small feat, as that was the seventh time this year that the Suns couldn’t reach triple digits. Erick Dampier is out for 3-5 weeks with a finger injury, so the acquisition of Haywood is even more important.

Betting Edge: Draw

Notable Injuries: Heat vs Mavericks Betting Odds
Wade (calf) is out, but O’Neal (back) should play, depending on how it holds up on Friday. Chalmers (thumb) should be back, as well.
Dampier (finger) is definitely out, but getting Haywood softened the blow.

Betting Edge: Mavericks

Betting Prediction: Heat vs Mavericks Betting Odds
The Mavericks will definitely be favored at home in this contest, as they’ve won seven straight against the Heat since losing to Miami in the 2006 NBA Finals. The Mavericks seem to play with an edge against the Heat, and with no Wade in the lineup, this could be a huge game for Dallas, who are 16-9 at home, while Miami was 14-15 away from home going into Memphis on Friday. Miami just doesn’t have enough weapons on either end of the floor to make up for the loss of Wade.

Craig’s Pick: Mavericks

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