Miami Heat vs Portland Trail Blazers Picks and Predictions January 21st 2025

Miami Heat vs Portland Trail Blazers January 21st 2025

At 7:30 ET, the Miami Heat (-525) will host the Portland Trail Blazers (+398) in a non-conference matchup. The Heat are currently favored by 10.5 points and have a record of 21-20, which is good for 8th in the Eastern Conference. On the other side, the Trail Blazers are 14-28 and sit 13th in the Western Conference.

This game will be played at the Kaseya Center in Miami and can be seen on KATU. The over/under line for the game is set at 221 points.

Trail Blazers vs. Heat Key Information

• Sport: NBA
• Teams: Portland Trail Blazers at Miami Heat
• Where: Miami at Kaseya Center
• Date: Tuesday, January 21st
• Betting Odds MIA -10.5, POR +398 | MIA -525 O/U 221

The Trail Blazers Can Win If…

The Trail Blazers improved to 14-28 on the season with a 113-102 home win over the Bulls on Sunday. Portland entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs and covered the spread with the victory. The combined score of 215 points fell well short of the 236.5-point O/U line.

After trailing 34-22 at the end of the 1st quarter, Portland turned the game around with a 10-0 run, taking the lead at 44-43. They outscored Chicago 31-19 in the 2nd quarter and 34-24 in the 3rd, entering the 4th with an 87-77 lead. The Blazers edged the Bulls 26-25 in the final quarter to seal the win.

Scoot Henderson led the Trail Blazers to a win over the Bulls, scoring 25 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds, shooting 53.3% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 37.5%. Shaedon Sharpe added 23 points, with 10 coming in the 4th quarter, while Deni Avdija contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 10 in the 3rd.

Portland shot 47.2% from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 9 threes at 29%. Henderson scored 9 points in the 3rd quarter, while Sharpe and Avdija each added 10 points in the final period.

After a rough start, the Trail Blazers tightened up defensively, allowing just 68 points over the final three quarters to secure a 113-102 win over the Bulls. Portland gave up 34 points in the 1st quarter but responded by holding Chicago to just 19 points in the 2nd. They continued their strong defensive effort in the 3rd and 4th quarters, allowing 24 and 25 points, respectively.

Portland’s perimeter defense was excellent, as they held the Bulls to just 8 made threes on 27% shooting. The Trail Blazers also limited Chicago’s second-chance opportunities, giving up only 8 offensive rebounds while grabbing 36 defensive boards. They added 7 steals and 6 blocks to their defensive performance.

• Portland has a 1-2 record in their last three road games. In this stretch, they averaged 115 points per game while allowing 111. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-0.
• The last three games that Portland was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
• Over their last three games, the Trail Blazers have an over/under record of 1-2 and are 1-2 vs. the spread.

The Heat Can Win If…

The Heat improved to 21-20 on the season with a 128-107 win over the Spurs on Sunday. Miami, favored by 3.5 points, covered the spread with the 21-point victory. The total score of 235 points exceeded the over/under line of 219.5 by 15.5 points.

After trailing 30-20 at the end of the 1st quarter, Miami turned the game around with an 11-0 run, taking the score from 41-38 to 49-41. They held the Spurs to 11 points in the 2nd quarter and outscored them 46-27 in the 3rd, entering the final quarter with a 92-68 lead.

The Heat’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their win over the Spurs, shooting 52.6% from the field and hitting 18 threes at a 54.5% clip. Kel’el Ware led the way with 25 points, including 10 in the 4th quarter, while Duncan Robinson added 21 points, knocking down 5 threes at 71.4%.

Terry Rozier contributed 20 points, hitting 4 threes at 80%, and Tyler Herro added 11 of his 18 points in the 3rd quarter. Nikola Jović also had a strong 3rd quarter with 9 of his 14 points, and Jaime Jaquez scored 8 of his 12 points in the final period.

Despite a tough 4th quarter, the Heat’s defense was strong in the 2nd, giving up just 11 points to the Spurs in their 128-107 win. Overall, Miami allowed 107 points on 45% shooting.

From beyond the arc, the Spurs hit 15 threes at a 37% clip. The Heat sent San Antonio to the line 16 times, where they made 10 free throws. Defensively, Miami recorded 8 steals and 6 blocks.

• When looking at their past five home matchups, Miami has an ATS record of 2-3 while averaging 107 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Heat have a straight up record of 3-2, while going 2-3 against the spread.
• In their last five games, the Heat have an over/under record of 5-0 and are 2-3 vs. the spread.

The Lean

Coming in as the underdogs at +10.5, we have the Trail Blazers as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 221 and given that our model is projecting 269 points between the teams, we like the over.

Industry’s Best

Handicapping Membership

Get Free Trial

Trail Blazers vs. Heat: Big Challenges Ahead

The Miami Heat are heating up in the Eastern Conference, holding on to the eighth playoff spot. With a key lineup shakeup, rookie center Kel’el Ware is making waves and could be a game-changer alongside Bam Adebayo. On Tuesday night, they’ll put this dynamic to the test against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Miami Heat: The Big Duo Shines

On Sunday, Ware tied his career-high with 25 points during Miami’s dominant 128-107 win over San Antonio. He also chipped in two blocks and played extended minutes with Adebayo for the first time. Together, the duo racked up 31 points, 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks, showing off a defense that looked unstoppable.

Coach Erik Spoelstra was impressed. “Defensively, that looked elite. Offensively, they’ll figure it out,” he said. Ware, who had been averaging just 13.2 minutes and 6.6 points per game, is now earning more court time. Spoelstra keeps the pressure on, telling backups, “Make us have to play you.”

Portland Trail Blazers: Building Momentum

Portland snapped a five-game skid on Sunday with a 113-102 win over Chicago. Leading the charge was Scoot Henderson, who filled the stat sheet with 25 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Turnovers are still a concern—he had four in the game—but his growth is evident.

The Blazers are navigating injuries to key players. Anfernee Simons missed Sunday’s game due to a strained elbow, and rookie center Donovan Clingan is out with a sprained ankle. Clingan, averaging 5.6 points and 6.5 rebounds, will miss his third straight game.

Veterans like Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant provide experience, but rumors swirl about Grant’s potential trade as Portland looks toward the future. Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Clingan are the building blocks for the team’s long-term success.

Key Storylines

The Heat’s Ware-Adebayo pairing will test Portland’s frontcourt, especially with Clingan sidelined. Miami’s dominance in the paint could decide the game. Meanwhile, Portland’s hopes rest on Henderson’s leadership and Ayton stepping up to counter Miami’s bigs.

What to Watch

Miami is riding momentum and finding new versatility with Ware’s emergence. They’re favored to win, but Portland’s young core has the potential to make it interesting. If Henderson continues to improve and Ayton steps up, the Blazers could give Miami a fight. However, the Heat’s defensive strength and Ware’s rising confidence might just tip the scales.