Southeast rivals Orlando and Miami collide this evening at the AmericanAirlines Arena in South Florida. Tonight's divisional battle is scheduled to get underway at 8:00pm ET on TNT. The latest NBA Point Spreads have the Heat, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings, listed as a -5 against the spread home favorite; the Over/Under is set at 197.
Miami comes into this evening's dust up with a 2-1 season record against the Magic. The Heat beat its chief rival 96-70 way
back in October and it rebounded from a 95-104 late November loss in Orlando with a 104-100 February win at the Amway Center. LeBron James keyed the latest victory with a 51 point, 11 rebound, eight assist night.
The Magic are hoping to even the season series tonight as well as maintain their current win streak (three games). Orlando closed out a seven game home stand on Tuesday night with a 116-110 win over the New York Knicks. Orlando, now 39-22 overall and 4.5 games behind the Heat in the Southeast standings, got 30 points and 16 rebounds from Dwight Howard in the victory.
Orlando has had its share of road woes against top competition this season (15-13 overall), but it has produced a 2-2 record in its last four trips to Miami.
The Heat, which faces a murder's row over the next week (Orlando, at San Antonio, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles Lakers), has dropped two of its last three games to bring its record to 43-17. Miami last played on Sunday when it lost to the Knicks 86-91 at the AmericanAirlines Arena.
James and Chris Bosh combined for 47 points in the loss to New York, but Dwyane Wade managed just 12 points (5-of-15 shooting) in 40 minutes of play.
Miami, which is 22-6 at home, has lost back to back home games just one time this season, and that occurred in early November when the team's three stars were still finding their rhythm.
Magic vs Heat NBA Point Spreads March 3, 2011:
Orlando Magic +5 (-110), Over 197 (-110), +180 (Moneyline)
Miami Heat -5 (-110), Under 197 (-110), -210 (Moneyline)
