Heat vs. Rockets NBA injury report, odds, spread: Goran Dragic, Avery Bradley out; John Wall should play Thursday in Houston

The Miami Heat begin a massive seven-game road trip, their longest in more than 10 years, on Thursday night with their lone visit of the season to Houston. The Heat haven't been at full strength in weeks due to injury and COVID issues and won't be for this game, either, with key players Goran Dragic and Avery Bradley out due to injury. Houston, meanwhile, is listing point guard John Wall as probable. Miami is a 2-point favorite on the William Hill Sportsbook NBA odds with a total of 215. The SportsLine Projection Model has a nearly 80 percent lean on the total. 

The Heat are on a season-high three-game winning streak following a 98-96 home victory over the Knicks on Tuesday to sweep the home-and-home set. The Heat made only 12 two-point field goals Tuesday, the first time in franchise history the Heat made 12 or fewer in a victory. Miami shot just 37.1 percent overall but was 14-for-33 from deep and 32-for-39 from the free-throw line.

Dragic (left ankle sprain) and Bradley (right calf strain) missed that as did reserves Moe Harkless, Meyers Leonard and Chris Silva. The only one with a chance to play Thursday is Harkless. He has missed the past nine games with a bruised left thigh. Dragic is the Heat's fourth-leading scorer at 14.4 ppg and first in assists at 5.3. Bradley averages 8.5 points and is a terrific defender. The Heat have used 16 different starting lineups thus far and 14 of Miami's 17 players have started at least one game.

Houston lost its third in a row Tuesday, 130-101 in New Orleans. The Rockets are now 2-12 when tied or trailing at the start of the fourth quarter. That was the second of a back-to-back and the Rockets rested Victor Oladipo, but he'll be in there Thursday.

So should be Wall, who had 25 points in Tuesday's loss after getting the front end of the back-to-back off Monday. He's listed as probable on the injury report with a left ankle sprain, but it would be an upset if he doesn't play. Wall has scored at least 20 points in three straight games played for the first time this season. The Rockets remain without excellent big man Christian Wood due to a severe right ankle sprain. He won't be back soon.

These teams split last season, and Houston has won three straight and six of the past seven at home in the series. The Rockets are 1-5 against the spread in their past six as home underdogs overall. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it returned over $5,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks last season. The model is also up more than $8,300 on top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. Dating back to last season, it enters Week 8 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 79-46 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.