Pick against the spread, best player prop for Nets vs. Heat on Sunday

The Brooklyn Nets haven’t been at full strength for a while but are fighting for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and could pull within 0.5 games of the Philadelphia 76ers with a win on Sunday against the Miami Heat. The defending Eastern Conference champs are dealing with their own injuries but have managed to climb back into the playoff picture by making several key acquisitions since the All-Star break. Let’s go over the best betting options for the matchup at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Nets vs. Heat, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Pick ATS: Nets -5.5

James Harden (hamstring) is out of commission, but the Nets still have two All-NBA talents to count on in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. While the Heat have transformed themselves into an extremely versatile defensive team by adding players who can switch at a high level, Victor Oladipo (knee) and Jimmy Butler (ankle) have been ruled out. The Heat have lost three straight games by 8 or more points with Butler playing, so it’s unlikely that they’ll rally to stop one of the NBA’s most explosive offenses. One of Miami’s guards will likely need a ceiling game to pull off an upset.

Player Prop: Kevin Durant to record a double-double (+320)

Durant logged 30 minutes for the first time in more than two months in a win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. The swingman appears ready to take on a heavier workload after missing significant time with a hamstring injury. He notched just his sixth double-double of the season with 25 points and 11 assists against the Hornets, but I like his odds to compete more on the boards while Butler, who ranks second among qualified Heat Players with 7.2 rebounds per game, is sidelined. Durant has grabbed at least seven rebounds in less than 25 minutes twice in four games this month.

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