- The Miami Heat travel to face the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night
- The NBA odds favor Denver in this NBA Championship rematch
- Read below for our Heat vs Nuggets prediction, odds & player props to bet
The Miami Heat (33-25) will travel to face the defending champion Denver Nuggets (39-19) on Thursday, February 29 at Ball Arena in Denver. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 PM ET on TNT.
The Nuggets come in as 5-point favorites at most sportsbooks, with the total set at 214 points. Denver is being offered at -210 on the moneyline while Miami is +180 underdogs.
What’s the best bet to make for the Miami vs Denver game? Here’s our Heat vs Nuggets prediction, along with odds and player prop picks.
Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIA Heat | +5.0 (-110) | +165 | Over 214.0 (-110) |
| DEN Nuggets | -5.0 (-110) | -200 | Under 214.0 (-110) |
In the Heat vs Nuggets odds, Denver is favored at -200 on the moneyline, giving them 67% implied probability to defeat Miami on their home court.
When these teams matched up in the 2023 NBA Finals, the Nuggets defeated the Heat 4-1 to capture the franchise’s first-ever championship. Denver also won two out of the three regular-season meetings last year.
Odds as of February 29, 2024, at Bet365 Sportsbook. Claim the Bet365 promo code to bet on Heat vs Nuggets. Bettors outside of Colorado should check out the top sportsbook betting apps.
Heat Are Scorching Hot
The Heat are riding a five-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 11 contests overall. Most recently, Miami went on the road and beat the Portland Trail Blazers 106-96 behind 22 points from Jimmy Butler. Newly acquired point guard Terry Rozier added 19 points in his return from a four-game absence due to a knee injury.
For Miami, Butler leads the way, averaging 22.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. Center Bam Adebayo chips in with 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a night. Rozier, who Miami traded for in late January, is starting to find his groove and provide valuable playmaking next to Butler in the backcourt.
Jimmy had quite the return to the floor, filling up the stat sheet and taking over the game when we needed it the most 💪 pic.twitter.com/fY5OlRMjrE
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 28, 2024
Over their last 10 games, the Heat are 6-4 straight up and 8-2 against the spread (ATS). The total has gone under in six of Miami’s last seven overall, primarily due to their third-ranked defense allowing only 109 points per game.
There are some Miami Heat injuries to note before betting this game. Forward Kevin Love (heel) and center Thomas Bryant (suspension) have already been ruled out. Shooting guard Tyler Herro (knee) is questionable after sitting out the last two games.
Nuggets Also on a Roll
The Nuggets have also been hot of late, winning four straight games including a 117-96 home victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic recorded his 19th triple-double of the season and Jamal Murray scored 32 points on extremely efficient 13-15 shooting.
Denver is paced by Jokic, who is averaging a triple-double on the season with 25.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists per contest. Murray, now over a year removed from ACL surgery, looks fully healthy and is putting up 23.7 points and 5.4 assists per game as Jokic’s running mate.
Tonight, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic won their 300th game together (including the playoffs).
They’re the first duo in Nuggets history to win 300+ games together before turning 30 years old. pic.twitter.com/QNCY0uECpA
— Jake Coyne (@TheStatSquatch) February 29, 2024
Three-point specialist Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (14.7 PPG) and forward Michael Porter Jr. (14.5 PPG) round out a potent starting five. The Nuggets are 6-4 SU over their past 10 games but an even better 9-1 ATS over that same span.
The Nuggets are relatively healthy, but could opt to rest Murray after he played 33 minutes on Wednesday. Backup forward Vlatko Cancar remains out indefinitely recovering from knee surgery.
Heat vs Nuggets Player Props
NBA player props are now available for the Heat vs Nuggets Finals rematch, with Nikola Jokic projected to score the most points. ‘Joker,’ who is the favorite in the NBA MVP odds, is projected to record 26 points on Thursday night, while his rebounds player prop is set at 12.5.
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three-Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | 25.5 (Ov -119 | Un -115) | 12.5 (Ov -125 | Un -109) | 9.5 (Ov -108 | Un -127) | 0.5 (Ov -244 | Un +172) |
| Jimmy Butler | 20.5 (Ov -106 | Un -129) | 5.5 (Ov -101 | Un -135) | 4.5 (Ov -137 | Un +100) | 0.5 (Ov -189 | Un +136) |
| Jamal Murray | 20.5 (Ov -117 | Un -117) | 3.5 (Ov -139 | Un +102) | 6.5 (Ov +114 | Un -157) | 2.5 (Ov -115 | Un -119) |
| Bam Adebayo | 18.5 (Ov -123 | Un -111) | 10.5 (Ov -119 | Un -115) | 2.5 (Ov -179 | Un +129) | OFF |
| Tyler Herro | 17.5 (Ov -127 | Un -108) | 4.5 (Ov -108 | Un -127) | 3.5 (Ov -123 | Un -111) | 2.5 (Ov -151 | Un +110) |
| Terry Rozier | 14.5 (Ov -108 | Un -127) | 3.5 (Ov +106 | Un -145) | 4.5 (Ov -119 | Un -115) | 1.5 (Ov -127 | Un -108) |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 10.5 (Ov -109 | Un -125) | 2.5 (Ov +104 | Un -142) | 1.5 (Ov -189 | Un +136) | 1.5 (Ov -129 | Un -106) |
NBA player prop odds as of Feb. 29 at Caesars Sportsbook.
Heat vs Nuggets Prediction 2024
The Heat are out for revenge after their Finals loss and catching the Nuggets on the second night of a back-to-back spot is advantageous. Miami’s defense has been locking down opponents and they have covered the spread in eight straight contests.
Meanwhile, Denver is just 2-5 ATS in its previous seven games without a rest advantage. The Nuggets also land in a prime letdown spot after blowing out Sacramento, a team they lost to earlier this month.
Expect this to be a close, lower-scoring game between two of the NBA’s slowest-paced teams. When making a Heats vs Nuggets prediction, consider backing the motivated underdogs catching points.
MIA-DEN Picks:
- Miami +5 (-110)
- Miami ML (+165)
The Miami Heat will be facing off against the Denver Nuggets on February 29th in what is sure to be an exciting matchup between two talented teams. As the game approaches, fans and bettors alike are eagerly anticipating the outcome and looking for predictions, odds, and player props to help inform their decisions.
The Miami Heat currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 36-22, while the Denver Nuggets are in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 40-18. Both teams have been playing well as of late, making this game a must-watch for basketball fans.
In terms of predictions, many experts believe that this game will be a close one, with both teams having strong rosters and the ability to compete at a high level. The Heat will be looking to their star players such as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to lead the way, while the Nuggets will rely on the scoring prowess of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
As for the odds, sportsbooks currently have the Nuggets listed as slight favorites to win the game, with odds of around -120. The Heat are not far behind, with odds of around +110. This indicates that oddsmakers believe the game could go either way, making it a potentially lucrative opportunity for bettors.
When it comes to player props, there are several options to consider for this game. For the Heat, Jimmy Butler is always a strong choice for points scored, assists, and rebounds. Bam Adebayo is also a solid option for rebounds and blocks. For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic is a popular choice for points, assists, and rebounds, while Jamal Murray is a good pick for points and assists.
Overall, the Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets game on February 29th is shaping up to be a competitive and entertaining matchup. With predictions favoring a close game, odds indicating a tight contest, and plenty of player props to consider, fans and bettors alike have plenty to look forward to as they watch these two talented teams face off on the court.