NBA Picks: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat, Game 1

The Miami Heat are outscoring opponents by an average of 13.9 points through nine playoff games, which is important to consider when making your NBA picks on Wednesday as they take on the Indiana Pacers at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Sports bettors will find that the Heat are eight-point home favorites in the pro basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 182.5 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at Game 1 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction on the total along the way.

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers have compiled an 8-4 straight-up and against-the-spread record in the 2013 NBA playoffs to this point—advancing past the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.

NBA handicappers will find that the Pacers have covered the number in just three of their four opportunities as road underdogs of 6.5 to nine points since the start of the regular season. 

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are 8-1 straight up and 6-3 against the spread since the start of the postseason—advancing past the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks.

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Heat have won 13 of their 15 games as home favorites of 6.5 to nine points, with the OVER going 8-7 in that situation.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers play the total as their NBA playoff pick on Wednesday, as the OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings between the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat.

NBA Pick: Over 182

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