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Highlights Video :
Brooklyn is hoping to end their poor run of eight consecutive home defeats and five in a row against Miami in New York while the Heat are searching for their fifth straight victory.
The Miami Heat (15-30) have surprisingly won four in a row and seem to be turning a corner as a team. Despite having injury issues, they still managed to win against teams such as the Houston Rockets and most recently, the Golden State Warriors, 105-102, which was one of the biggest upsets of this season. The revitalized Dion Waiters led the Heat with 33 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Goran Dragic added 19 points and five dimes, while Hassan Whiteside recorded a double-double of 10 points and 15 boards. Dragic and Waiters will have quite favorable matchups tonight when they face Dinwiddie and Foye, and the backcourt duo could easily go for 50-plus points, while Whiteside will be battling Brook Lopez in the paint. Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson and Josh McRoberts are unavailable to play tonight, while Justise Winslow is done for the year with a shoulder injury.
The Brooklyn Nets (9-35) are experiencing one of the worst seasons in franchise history, and it seems unlikely they will get to 20 wins this year, at least not with their current displays. They've won only two out of their last 15 games, and have suffered consecutive defeats, the latest one against the San Antonio Spurs, 86-112. Isaiah Whitehead led the Nets with 19 points, Sean Kilpatrick posted a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Brook Lopez only managed 12 points. Bojan Bogdanovic is the player to watch for the hosts as he’s facing Rodney McGruder and should dominate in that matchup, while Kilpatrick should also be monitored closely. Jeremy Lin will miss the next three to four weeks with a hamstring injury and Joe Harris is also sidelined for this clash.
Keys to the Game
Miami Heat
Dion Waiters is in excellent form since his return from injury as he has averaged 26.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in the last seven games. He's also scored 33 points in each of the previous two games. With a nice matchup tonight, he can easily score 30-plus again, while the performance of his teammate Dragic will also be crucial for the Heat. The duo shouldn’t have problems to dominate the floor against a weaker Brooklyn backcourt.
Brooklyn Nets
Lopez may struggle against the gigantic Whiteside, but Bojan Bogdanovic needs to step up if the Nets want to win this game. Bojan scored only five points against San Antonio, and unless he bounces back in this one, Brooklyn will face another loss, that’s for sure. Perimeter shooting has also been an issue as the Nets only scored five three-pointers against the Spurs. Considering that the long ball is their primary weapon, you have to expect them to improve in that segment as well. Success from the outside will define Brooklyn in tonight’s tilt.
Miami Heat Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Dragic / SG – Waiters / SF – McGruder / PF – Babbitt / C – Whiteside
Dragic and Waiters will run the floor for the visitors, while Whiteside should dominate the boards, but James Johnson and Wayne Ellington could play a significant role off the bench.
Brooklyn Nets Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Dinwiddie / SG – Foye / SF – Bogdanovic / PF – Booker / C – Lopez
Bojan should lead the starting five, Trevor Booker could have a big night against Babbitt, while Kilpatrick will likely lead the second unit and should follow Bogdanovic in scoring.
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