Two teams facing uncertainty meet on Wednesday when the five-win Pelicans travel to Miami. The Heat have a 16-14 record, but the team has been mired in a trade request from forward Jimmy Butler. Despite team president Pat Riley announcing his intention not to make a deal last week, it’s still anyone’s guess as to how many more games the franchise legend will play in South Beach.
Even with rumors swirling, Butler (conditioning) is set to make his return to the court following a five-game absence. The timing is perfect for a Heat squad that will be without Terry Rozier; the guard was suspended for one game due to an altercation on Sunday with the Rockets. With that in mind, Miami’s best player should see a large workload from the start tonight. Will it be enough to deliver a vintage performance vs. the Pels?
Best Jimmy Butler Prop on DraftKings Sportsbook
Off-court drama aside, Butler’s numbers have been solid this season. Through 20 games, the six-time All-Star has averaged 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. The veteran has only taken 11.1 shot attempts per game, his lowest mark in ten years, but he’s also generated a career-best 55.2% field goal percentage (35.7 3PT%).
The Heat still have several options to choose from if they need a basket. Butler aside, Miami can turn to some combination of guard Tyler Herro and center Bam Adebayo. The former is emerging as one of the game’s best scorers, putting up 24.0 points per game. The latter has had a rough first few months (16.1 PPG), but there’s an All-Star track record defenses have to consider.
Given Miami’s depth issues without Rozier, it’s difficult not to see Butler coming close to 30 minutes of play tonight. Through his last seven full outings, the 35-year-old has posted 21.1 points on 59.1% shooting. There’s a good chance that trend continues against a Pelicans group giving up 117.9 points per game, sixth-worst in the NBA. When these two teams last met in February, Butler recorded 23 points over just 27 minutes.
This line feels low, even when factoring in a potential blowout. At even money, Butler should get more than enough touches to make an impact on Wednesday night’s matchup.
Best Bet: Jimmy Butler 20+ points (+100)
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