1st Quarter Report
Only three more quarters stand between the Heat and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Pelicans 36-24.
The Heat came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
New Orleans Pelicans @ Miami Heat
Current Records: New Orleans 5-28, Miami 16-14
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday, January 1, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Kaseya Center — Miami, Florida
- TV: Gulf Coast Sports
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $58.00
What to Know
The Pelicans have enjoyed a five-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will venture away from home to challenge the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Kaseya Center. The Pelicans are expected to lose this one by 8.5 points, so we’ll see if that gives them a bit of motivation.
Last Monday, the Pelicans didn’t have quite enough to beat the Clippers and fell 116-113. New Orleans was up 59-45 in the second but couldn’t hold on to the lead.
Even though they lost, the Pelicans were working as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. That’s a new trend for them: they were averaging 23.6 assists per game earlier this season, but in their last five games they’ve averaged 29.8.
The Rockets typically have all the answers at home, but on Sunday the Heat proved too difficult a challenge. They managed a 104-100 victory over Houston. The win came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 5:19 mark of the third quarter, when Miami was facing a 73-61 deficit.
The Heat’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tyler Herro led the charge by almost dropping a double-double on 27 points and nine assists. Another player making a difference was Nikola Jovic, who went 5 for 9 en route to 18 points plus seven rebounds and six assists.
New Orleans has traveled a rocky road recently having lost 19 of their last 20 matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-28 record this season. As for Miami, they have been performing well recently as they’ve won three of their last four matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 16-14 record this season.
While only the Heat took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. Looking ahead, the Heat are the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 8.5 points. This contest will be New Orleans’ 15th straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 6-8 against the spread).
The Pelicans took their victory against the Heat in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 111-88. Do the Pelicans have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Heat turn the tables on them? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Miami is a big 8.5-point favorite against New Orleans, according to the latest NBA odds.
Bettors have moved against the Heat slightly, as the game opened with the Heat as a 10-point favorite.
The over/under is 222 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Miami has won 8 out of their last 10 games against New Orleans.
- Mar 22, 2024 – New Orleans 111 vs. Miami 88
- Feb 23, 2024 – Miami 106 vs. New Orleans 95
- Jan 22, 2023 – Miami 100 vs. New Orleans 96
- Jan 18, 2023 – Miami 124 vs. New Orleans 98
- Feb 10, 2022 – Miami 112 vs. New Orleans 97
- Nov 17, 2021 – Miami 113 vs. New Orleans 98
- Mar 04, 2021 – Miami 103 vs. New Orleans 93
- Dec 25, 2020 – Miami 111 vs. New Orleans 98
- Mar 06, 2020 – New Orleans 110 vs. Miami 104
- Nov 16, 2019 – Miami 109 vs. New Orleans 94
