Miami Heat
Heat are a well coached team by Erik Spoelstra, that's a big factor in how and why this team has been good trough the years even from when Lebron James took his talents to South Beach. Defense has always been a key factor and focus in Miami for many years and that's why they are in playoff contention every year. Their culture and the fact that they have had the same coach and front office for many many years have cemented the Heat as a stable and good organization from the ground up. I like this team they have created and they finally got their star in Butler.
Tonight the team is traveling to the high altitudes of Denver, Colorado. A lot of teams have a problem with the thin air and the Heat are no exeception. Heat have started the season in a good way but we have to take a look at which teams they have played and how they have won the games, with that in mind I don't want to take any sudden conclusions. They have met the Hawks twice and barley won against hyped up kids who don't play defense, Bucks lost focus and let them in the game or it would have been a blowout and they catch the Rockets in a bad spot where the players are hungover after a night out in South Beach. The team is still good and deserve the wins but I don't want to big of a conclustion where they meet the Hawks twice. Heat still have a good defense and it will definitley be a grit and grind it out type of game. But I don't see any big matchups in Miamis favor, maybe Adebayo against Jokic but Bam isn't a post up center.
If Miami come in focused and ready to stop every play Nuggets have planed they will be good but one misstep and they will pay for it. Nuggets have looked, if im being honest, like a disaster a lot of the time but after the game against the Magic it will turn around. Heat have Jimmy Butler, Dragic and a couple of rookies to trust to the job and I think it will be tough to match up for them. I don't think Miami have the sting offensivley to win this game tonight but it will be a tough game for bot teams.
Denver Nuggets
Nuggets have a hungover from last season, sure they've only lost two games but the way they lost them was anything but positive and how they played the first half in Orlando was just horrifying. Lucky enough they came out strong in the second and they could clinch the win but if they've had lost three in a row and playing horrible basketball it would have Malone claming the walls. Nuggets have looked sluggish thats plane for everyone to see, Jokic dosen't look like he wants to takeover games at all and he needs to find that balance. Nuggets best player can't have 6 to 7 shots a whole game while a roleplayer has the double amount. Jokic really needs to step up from the start points wise if he does that Denver will claim up a few levels and stop looking like people playing at the local rec center.
Nuggets like I said hasn't been good the last three games but they have great chance to take a step forward against Miami. There's nothing wrong with the defense, they have a good scheme, Torrey Craig and Gary Harris, who by the way have looked awful, are two big bodys and have fast lateral movement to throw at Butler and that's always good to have. Nuggets got to take Adebayo away from the paint too, Jokic is a good matchup because he operates at the elbow a lot and at the three point line and to have Murray and Harris to attack of the pick and roll and cuts is a good option. I like the Nuggets overall, they've started the season badly but they are always strong at home.
Denver and most of all Jokic needs to take care of the offensive end of the ball, play like they did in the second half in Orlando the whole game. Aggressive, willingness and focus, he's their leader and MVP and he needs to show that game in game out. Take the command, shot 25 shots and go to the freethrow line often and the Heat will not be a problem.
Bet
The Nuggets needs to step up to a 100% from the start or this will end badly against a organized Miami defense and it will be tough to punch thru it. Jokic needs to show us why he's regarded as an MVP candidate, defense needs to be focused and put Craig on Butler, put a big body on him to go against. Heat doesn't have anything special offensivley their are some golden nuggets but overall they are mediocare, Nuggets are a better team and they have a deep bench and a better offense. They just need to focus and do the right things. My bet is Nuggets -4.5 @1.90 at bet365.
