Denver Nuggets at Miami Heat Game 3 Preview & Predictions

Denver Nuggets at Miami Heat Game 3 Preview & Predictions

Darin Zank
Date: June 7, 8:30 pm
TV: ABC

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Den -2.5/Mia +2.5
Total: 214

<p>After splitting the first two games of these NBA Finals in Denver, the teams meet for a big Game 3 Wednesday night in Miami. The Nuggets took Game 1 rather easily and covered as nine-point favorites. But the Heat bounced back, as they’re apt to do, and won Game 2 outright as big dogs.</p>
<p>Here’s our homework for this Game 3, with our free NBA Finals betting pick.</p>
<h2>NBA Championship Series Betting Odds </h2>
<p>The NBA Finals betting lines opened Denver at -2.5 for Game 3, with an over/under of right around 216. Early betting action then dipped that total to 214.</p>
<p>The Nuggets are also now lined at around -300 to win this NBA Championship Series, with Miami now getting +230 or so as the underdog.</p>
<h2>NBA Finals Game 3 Betting Preview </h2>
<p>Miami evened these NBA Finals up at a game apiece with a 111-108 Game 2 victory Sunday night. The Heat popped out to a 21-10 lead, led 26-23 after one quarter but fell down in the second quarter and trailed 57-51 at the half. Miami still trailed 83-75 through three quarters but went on a somewhat improbable 32-12 run to go up by a dozen and held on from there for the huge outright victory as 8.5-point dogs.</p>
<p>After shooting just 41 percent from the field in Game 1, the Heat shot 49 percent in Game 2; also, after shooting just two free-throws in all of Game 1, Miami hit 18/20 from the line in Game 2. And the Heat won the turnover battle 14-11.</p>
<p>With Sunday’s win, Miami is now 14-8 SU, 15-7 ATS this postseason.</p>
<p>With Sunday’s loss, Denver is now 13-4 SU, 10-7 ATS this postseason.</p>
<p>The Nuggets won Game 1 last Thursday 104-93, covering at -9. Denver led that game by double-digits most of the way and finished shooting 51 percent from the field.</p>
<p>Game 1 of these Finals played under a total of 219, but Game 2 played over a total of 216.</p>
<h2>Nuggets-Heat Recent History</h2>
<p>Miami’s victory Sunday night snapped an eight-game losing skid against the Nuggets, stretching back to 2021. The Heat lost twice to Denver during the regular season this year, but both games were close. And we’d classify Sunday’s game as close, too.</p>
<h2>NBA Finals Betting Trends</h2>
<p>The Nuggets only played 19-22 both SU and ATS on the road this season, but they’re 4-3 both SU and ATS away from home this postseason.</p>
<p>Miami played 27-14 SU but only 14-24 ATS at home during the regular season; it’s 7-3 both SU and ATS at the Kaseya Center this postseason.</p>
<h2>Totals Report </h2>
<p>The totals split 41-41 in Heat games during the regular season, while the overs are 12-10 in Miami games this postseason.</p>
<p>The Unders played 44-37 in Nuggets games this season, but the overs are 9-7 in Denver games this postseason.</p>
<p>The Overs are 3-1 in Nuggets-Heat games this season.</p>

Nuggets vs Heat Game 3 Prediction ATS

Miami’s valiant effort Sunday night not only evened this Championship Series at a game apiece, it - along with the change in venue - did a number on the spread for Game 3. Now, instead of giving up 8-9 points, Denver is only favored by 2.5. Great. The Nuggets are the better team in this match-up, and we expect a bounce-back performance Wednesday night. We’re betting on Denver for the cover on Game 3.

Free Pick: Take Denver -2.5
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