half time report
After a tough road loss in their last game, the Heat look much better today on their home court. They have jumped out to a 59-58 lead against the Thunder.
The Heat came into the game with extra motivation after the loss they suffered the last time these two teams met. We’ll see if they are able to turn the script around or if it will simply be more of the same.
Who is playing
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Miami Heat
Current records: Oklahoma City 21-5, Miami 13-11
How to watch
- When: Friday, December 20, 2024 at 8 pm ET
- Where: Kaseya Center – Miami, Florida
- TV: Fan Duel SN – Oklahoma
- Continue: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try it for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $49.00
What to know
The Heat are on a five-game winning streak at home, while the Thunder are on a three-game road winning streak — one of those streaks about to end. The Miami Heat will face the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8:00 pm ET on Friday at the Kaseya Center with some extra rest. After a loss in a game the Heat were expected to win, they now face the tougher task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
The Heat fought well in their overtime game against the Pistons on Monday, but ended up with a less than desirable result. They were one step away from victory and fell 125-124 to Detroit. Miami’s loss marked the end of its four-game winning streak.
Despite the loss, the Heat got a top-notch performance from Jimmy Butler, who posted a triple-double with 35 points, 19 rebounds and ten assists. Butler had some trouble finding his footing against the Raptors last Thursday, so this was a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn’t a dominant performance, the Thunder beat the Magic 105-99 on Thursday. The team came away with 65 points in the first half and mostly stayed there to take the win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his habit of posting crazy stats, going 15-for-26 en route to 35 points plus six assists and four steals. The game was the 16th consecutive game with at least 30 points.
Miami’s loss dropped their record to 13-11. As for Oklahoma City, they have been performing incredibly well recently, as they have won ten of their last 11 matchups, giving a nice boost to their 21-5 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: the Heat haven’t given the ball away easily this season, having averaged just 11.8 turnovers per game (they rank third in turnovers per game overall). It’s not like the Thunder (currently ranked first) are struggling in that department, though, as they’ve averaged just 11.2. Given these competing strengths, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Heat came up short against the Thunder the last time the teams played in March, falling 107-100. A major factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 37 points to go along with six assists and five rebounds. Back with a vengeance, can the Heat stop him this time? Check CBSSports.com after the game to find out.
Odd
Oklahoma City is a slight 1.5-point favorite against Miami, at last report. NBA Odds.
The bettors were in line with the betting community in this case, as the game started with a 1.5 point difference and stayed there.
The over/under is 215 points.
See NBA selections for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Miami has won 7 of its last 10 games against Oklahoma City.
- March 8, 2024: Oklahoma City 107 vs. Miami 100
- January 10, 2024: Oklahoma City 128 vs. Miami 120
- January 10, 2023: Miami 112 vs. Oklahoma City 111
- December 14, 2022: Miami 110 vs. Oklahoma City 108
- March 18, 2022: Miami 120 vs. Oklahoma City 108
- November 15, 2021: Miami 103 vs. Oklahoma City 90
- February 22, 2021: Miami 108 vs. Oklahoma City 94
- January 4, 2021: Miami 118 vs. Oklahoma City 90
- August 12, 2020: Oklahoma City 116 vs. Miami 115
- January 17, 2020: Miami 115 vs. Oklahoma City 108
