NBA: Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat
NBA: Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat Reuters

After getting hit inadvertently on the nose in their last outing, LeBron James will be playing behind a mask when his Miami Heat face the New York Knicks on Thursday.

James missed their last game versus the Chicago Bulls because of a broken nose he suffered last Thursday versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both times, the Heat came up with an easy victory winning by 22 points and 14 points, respectively.

The Heat's other stars stepped up in James' absence versus Chicago. Chris Bosh had 28 points and 10 rebounds and Dwyane Wade added 23 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists.

Overall, the Heat have won eight of their last nine games and aiming for a sixth straight victory. On the flipside, the Knicks have lost nine of their last eleven outings despite Carmelo Anthony’s recent scoring explosion.

Melo has scored 42, 44, 35 and 44 to lead the team in scoring but not to enough wins as they could only muster a 1-3 record in that stretch. New York is coming off a frustrating loss against the Dallas Mavericks with a 110-108 defeat via a Dirk Nowitzki buzzer beater.

Watch the Knicks vs. Heat via NBA League Pass.

Betting Lines: New York Knicks (+10) vs. Miami Heat (201.0)
 Game time: 11:00 am EADT

Betting Against the Spread

New York Knicks Trends
 - The Knicks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games on the road
- The Knicks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. Southwest division teams
- The Knicks are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. East teams

Miami Heat Trends
 - The Heat are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games
- The Heat are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games at home
- The Heat are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games vs. East teams