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Heat vs. Jazz Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 9

The Heat are road favorites as they look to avoid a season sweep against Utah.

Peter Dewey

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is a solid prop target on Thursday night.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is a solid prop target on Thursday night. / John Hefti-Imagn Images

Fresh off of a big win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat remain on the road for a more favorable matchup with the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz lost a heartbreaker on Tuesday, as Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young made a half-court shot at the buzzer to give Atlanta a three-point win.

The loss dropped the Jazz to 9-26 on the season, but they did blow out Miami—in Miami—on Jan. 4. 

Is this a spot for the Heat to exact revenge? Oddsmakers have them favored by 5.5 points on the road with multiple rotation players (Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, and Keyonte George) out for Utah. 

The Jazz are just 2-13 straight up at home, one of their worst marks at Delta Center in several seasons.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to consider betting on in the prop market, and my prediction for Thursday’s contest. 

Heat vs. Jazz Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

  • Heat -5.5 (-108)
  • Jazz +5.5 (-112)

Moneyline

  • Heat: -225
  • Jazz: +185

Total

  • 222.5 (Over -105/Under -1125)

Heat vs. Jazz How to Watch 

  • Date: Thursday, Jan. 9
  • Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Delta Center
  • How to Watch (TV): Root Sports, Bally Sports Sun
  • Heat record: 18-17
  • Jazz record: 9-26

Heat vs. Jazz Injury Reports 

Heat Injury Report

  • Jimmy Butler – out
  • Josh Richardson – doubtful
  • Kevin Love – doubtful
  • Tyler Herro – available
  • Dru Smith – out
  • Isaiah Stevens – out

Jazz Injury Report 

  • Jordan Clarkson – out
  • John Collins – out
  • Keyonte George – out
  • Collin Sexton – available
  • Taylor Hendricks – out
  • Oscar Tshiebwe – out
  • Elijah Harkless – out
  • Brice Sensabaugh – questionable

Heat vs. Jazz Best NBA Prop Bets 

Miami Heat Best NBA Prop Bet

  • Tyler Herro OVER 23.5 Points (-125)

Utah held Herro to just 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting (in less than 30 minutes) in the blowout loss on Saturday, but I expect a bounce-back game from the Heat guard tonight.

Utah is dead last in the NBA in defensive rating, and Herro is the No. 1 option in this Heat offense this season – especially with Butler out. Overall, Herro is averaging a career-high 23.6 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from 3. 

I’d be surprised to see him get held in check by this weak Utah defense twice in one week. 

Utah Jazz Best NBA Prop Bet

  • Collin Sexton OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-180)

Jazz guard Collin Sexton should be in line for an expanded role on Thursday with Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson out, and he’s made at least two shots from deep in nine of his last 10 games.

Over that 10-game stretch, Sexton is shooting 45.2 percent from 3 on 6.2 attempts per game (2.8 makes), and he’s pushed his season-long 3-point percentage to 43.2 percent. This is a favorable matchup for him against a Miami defense that ranks 15th in the NBA in opponent 3-pointers made per game. 

Heat vs. Jazz Prediction and Pick

Neither of these teams has fared well against the spread in this spot. 

The Heat are just 1-5 against the spread as road favorites in the 2024-25 season while Utah is 6-9 ATS as a home underdog, posting an average scoring margin of -9.3 points per game in those matchups. 

Plus, with both sides shorthanded, it’s hard to justify backing either squad. 

Instead, I’m looking to the OVER in this game. Miami is shockingly one of the best OVER teams in the NBA (20-15) despite the fact that it is No. 12 in the league in defensive rating. Meanwhile, Utah has hit the OVER in 19 games this season, going 19-15-1 overall. 

Utah is only 18th in offensive rating, but it ranks dead last in the NBA in defensive rating. Even in the Jazz’s win over Miami, these teams combined for 236 points. 

I expect another high-scoring affair on Thursday. 

Pick: OVER 222.5 (-105)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

Published
Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.

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