Half-time report
The Pelicans are on the road but don’t look any worse. Sitting on a score of 46-42, they appear to be the better team, but there are still two quarters to play.
The Pelicans entered the competition with added 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 42-27, Miami 38-31
How to watch
- When: Friday March 22, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Or: Kaseya Center – Miami, Florida
- TV: Bally Sports Sun
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $54.00
What there is to know
The Pelicans are 1-9 against the Heat since December 2018, but they will have the opportunity to close the gap a little on Friday. After playing yesterday, the New Orleans Pelicans will hit the road to face the Miami Heat at 8 p.m. ET on March 22 at the Kaseya Center. Coming off a loss in a game the Pelicans were expected to win, they now face the toughest task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
The Pelicans unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Thursday. They suffered a 121-106 loss to Orlando. This defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Pelicans in their clashes against the Magic: they have now lost four in a row.
The Pelicans struggled to get the ball on offense and finished the game with just three offensive rebounds. It was the fewest offensive rebounds they had all season.
Meanwhile, defenses reigned supreme when the Heat and Cavaliers played Wednesday, rewarding bettors who took the risk on the season-low 207 points. Miami was certainly biting their nails, but they managed to escape with a 107-104 victory over the Cavaliers. For those watching at home, this is the closest victory the Heat have had since December 16, 2023.
Among those leading the charge was Jimmy Butler, who scored 30 points along with five assists and four steals. He didn’t help the Heat’s cause much against the Pistons on Friday, but the same can’t be said for this game.
New Orleans’ loss ended a four-game road winning streak and brought them to 42-27. As for Miami, they have been on a roll lately: they have won three of their last four matchups, which gave a nice improvement to their record of 38-31 this season.
In this competition, the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: the Pelicans haven’t given up the ball easily this season, averaging just 12.6 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Heat struggled in that department, as they averaged just 11.9 turnovers per game. Given these competing forces, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Pelicans fell short against the Heat in the teams’ last game in February, losing 106-95. Can the Pelicans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We’ll know soon enough.
Odds
Miami is a 3-point favorite against New Orleans, according to the latest NBA Odds.
Oddsmakers had a good idea of the line for this one, as the game opened with the Heat as a 2.5-point favorite.
Oddsmakers are predicting a defensive matchup and setting the low/under at 206.5 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 9 of its last 10 games against New Orleans.
- 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
- December 16, 2018 – Miami 102 vs. New Orleans 96
