Basketball bet odds favor the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday as they host the Miami Heat in a game that can be seen on TNT. The Cavaliers have owned this series against the Heat, winning eight of the last ten. They are also 5-4-1 against the basketball betting line in those contests. Basketball scheduling is not doing the Heat any favors in this game. Miami had to play in Boston last night so that does not help their chances in basketball betting in this game against Cleveland. The Cavaliers and Heat have met twice this basketball betting season with Cleveland winning both games in Miami. The Cavaliers won 92-91 and 111-104. The Cavaliers have won the last four at home against the Heat including both games last year.
LeBron James has played very well in his career against Miami. In fact, he has 10 career 30-point games against the Heat. He had 32 points in Cleveland’s last win in Miami. Dwyane Wade also had 32 for the Heat. LeBron hit two free throws to win the game and Wade missed a shot at the buzzer that would have won it for Miami.
Miami is lucky they play in the Eastern Conference. They don’t look like a playoff team but in the East they will probably make it. In the Western Conference they would already be looking to next season. The Heat have Wade and Michael Beasley but far too often the team simply doesn’t play well in basketball betting. Having Jermaine O’Neal is part of the problem but there is more to it than that. The Heat have been competitive on the road in basketball bet action and with Wade they are capable of winning any game, even against the Cavaliers.
Cleveland has not been nearly as good at home this season vs. the basketball bet pointspread as a year ago. In fact, the time to take Cleveland with a basketball bet this season has been when they are on the road. The Cavaliers are third in the league on defense and they are led on offense by LeBron. The question with Cleveland is whether they can cover big basketball bet numbers at home and too often this season the answer has been no. Laying points with the Cavaliers is risky when you make a basketball bet but taking Miami has been no bargain this season.