Charlotte Hornets vs. Miami Heat: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 11/12/2022

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Venue: FTX Arena, Miami, FL

Where to watch: Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports Southeast-Charlotte

DraftKings: Heat -10

FanDuel: Heat -10.5

BetMGM: Heat -10.5

Caesars: Heat -10

Hornets: 3-10

Heat: 5-7

Hornets: lost seven in a row; lost 117-112 (OT) at Heat on Thursday

Heat: won three of five; won 117-112 (OT) vs. Hornets on Thursday

Find me a more exciting 3-10 team than the Charlotte Hornets. You really can’t, but man is this group ever fun. Even if they’re losing and feel like nothing is going their way without LaMelo Ball in the lineup, the Hornets are really finding ways to be competitive, case in point the 117-112 overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday.

The teams will meet again in Miami on Saturday, as the Heat try to draw closer to .500 after winning for the first time in three games in that Thursday matchup against the Hornets. Following losses to the Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers, this hasn’t been the most ideal start in the world for last year’s reigning Eastern Conference finalists, but they’re making the most of it.

The Heat are currently without Tyler Herro (ankle), who is listed as questionable for this game. Herro’s improvement as an all-around scorer has taken the pressure off Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, but his absence has put the pressure on them to carry the Heat. And it showed in Thursday when the Hornets battled back from down 12 to force overtime, but Butler ultimately won out with 35 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists, while Adebayo had 18 points and 14 rebounds to pace the Heat. The 8-man rotation in Miami did enough to score 117 points, but that required 29 of 36 from the free-throw line and surviving a 10 of 36 performance from 3-point range.

"I think this was important to us," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You have to go through the emotions and then go figure it out. Then have to mentally reset and emotionally reset to play five more minutes. I felt like it was an important win for us mentally and emotionally."

Butler finished 13 of 15 from the free-throw line, which was one more make than the Hornets had all game (12 of 20).

With another matchup in Miami this time around, the home-court advantage could play a factor once again. But with the heart that the Hornets showed in that matchup, this won’t be easy for Miami. Yes, the Hornets are without Ball, and now without Gordon Hayward and Cody Martin, but the young talent in Charlotte has reason for optimism. Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 29 points and made 7 3-pointers, and Terry Rozier had 22 points (despite taking 25 shots to get there).

Jalen McDaniels had 16 points off the bench, and the renaissance of Dennis Smith Jr. continues in a big way after he had 12 points and 8 assists in 34 minutes. The former first-round pick of the Dallas Mavericks is finding his way back in the league and is showing maybe the Mavs should have actually signed him instead of JaVale McGee (sorry, I’m bitter).

“I’ve been around teams that didn’t care that much,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “We have a good group. Is it concerning? We’re in a tough spot. I mean, we have no room for error. We have to knock it out of the park here to win right now with what we have. And yet, we’ve done it a couple of times and we can do it again.”

Thursday might have been Charlotte’s best chance to actually put something together for a win. Miami is a veteran group and won’t let that happen a second time. Better defense, and a better 1-2 game from Butler and Adebayo, will give Miami a more comfortable win. Heat by 13

Hornets are 30-37 ATS as a road underdog the last three years.

Hornets are 15-16 ATS as a road dog between 6.5 and 12 the last three years.

Hornets are 19-13 ATS against division opponents the last three years.

Heat are 2-9 ATS this season.

Heat are 44-50 ATS at home the last three years; 1-6 this season.

Heat are 27-30 ATS off a home win the last three years.

PG: Dennis Smith Jr.

SG: Terry Rozier

SF: Kelly Oubre Jr.

PF: P.J. Washington

C: Mason Plumlee

PG: Kyle Lowry

SG: Max Strus

SF: Caleb Martin

PF: Jimmy Butler

C: Bam Adebayo

Hornets: Gordon Hayward (shoulder, out), LaMelo Ball (ankle, out), Cody Martin (knee, out)

Heat: Dewayne Dedmon (foot, questionable), Tyler Herro (ankle, questionable), Victor Oladipo (knee, out), Omer Yurtseven (ankle, out)

Points: Terry Rozier -- 21.8

Rebounds: Mason Plumlee -- 9.1

Assists: Dennis Smith Jr. -- 6.2

Points: Jimmy Butler -- 22.3

Rebounds: Bam Adebayo -- 8.6

Assists: Jimmy Butler -- 5.9