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Highlights Video :
The red-hot Miami Heat will look to extend their incredible win streak to nine games when they host the Atlanta Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks (28-20) really had to work for their last home win. They needed four overtimes to finally beat the New York Knicks, 142-139, on Sunday, the longest game of the NBA season thus far. All-Star Paul Millsap set new season-highs with 37 points and 19 rebounds, as he played for 60 minutes. That was quite the turnaround from the four points and four rebounds he had in just 23 minutes in a blowout home loss to the Washington Wizards in their previous game. Kent Bazemore, Dennis Schroder, and Tim Hardaway Jr also played 50 or more minutes in the Knicks game, and scored 19 or more points.
The Hawks have had two days to rest up and prepare for the Heat, whom the Hawks have beaten in their first two meetings this season. Schroder led six Hawks in double-figure scoring with 18 points and four assists in their first visit to South Beach back in November.
That was a completely different Heat team they beat, though. The Heat (19-30) are currently the hottest team in the NBA with eight wins in a row. They got their eighth win against the Brooklyn Nets 104-96, at home. The excellent backcourt of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters continued their fine play as they combined for 39 points and 17 assists. James Johnson added 17 points, four boards, and five assists off the bench.
Moving Waiters into the starting lineup has turned the Heat’s fortunes around. They’re 8-1 since the change, with Waiters averaging 21.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and shooting nearly 49 percent from beyond the arc during their eight-game win streak. “The Dragon” Dragic has also been on fire, and is putting up 22.9 points, 4.8 boards, and 6.6 assists, while shooting 53 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three during the streak. Dragic missed the team’s first meeting against the Hawks this season, but he had 21 points in their most recent matchup last month.
Keys to the game
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have to find a way to slow down the Heat’s high-scoring backcourt. The return of top perimeter defender Thabo Sefolosha would help a lot in that regard, but Thabo is still questionable to return following a groin injury which kept him out against the Knicks.
Miami Heat
The Heat will go as far as their staring backcourt duo will take them, but their bench backcourt could be key as well. Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson, who returned from a five-game lay-off with a shoulder injury against the Nets, have both had big games against the Hawks. Ellington had 19 points, while Johnson had a team-high 27 in their loss in Atlanta.
Atlanta Hawks projected starting lineup
PG – Dennis Schroder | SG – Thabo Sefolosha | SF – Kent Bazemore | PF – Paul Millsap | C – Dwight Howard.
Miami Heat projected starting lineup
PG – Goran Dragic | SG – Dion Waiters | SF – Rodney McGruder | PF – Luke Babbitt | C – Hassan Whiteside.
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