Game story:
The (often) shorthanded Miami Heat will limp into Ohio for another pivotal matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This game will conclude Miami’s four-game road trip, where have gone 2-1 with the only wins against the Detroit Pistons. The Heat are 2-5 over their last seven games and dealing with a plethora of team injuries and banged up guys. With 14 games remaining in the regular season, Miami is sitting in eighth place in the East at a 37-31 record.
The Cavs are having a great regular season with a current record of 43-25 and third place in the East. However, Cleveland is dealing with injury problems of their own heading into tonight’s matchup. They will be without the services of Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley and Dean Wade. Cleveland is 5-5 over their last 10 games.
The Cavs are coming off a 108-103 win against the Indiana Pacers in their last game. Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert both led with 23 points a piece. Marcus Morris Sr., Cleveland’s recent buyout pick up, dropped 14 points in 20 minutes off the Cavs bench.
A matchup heading into this evening’s game to keep an eye on is the big man battle between Allen and Bam Adebayo. Both players are catalysts defensively for the respective teams, and Allen is capable of stuffing the stat sheet. Terry Rozier and Darius Garland will also be a fun one to watch; two players that have elite play making abilities.
Adebayo has gone 4/4 over the last couple of games from the 3-point line. He followed up his game winning three in Detroit on Sunday with a 20/13/6 performance in Philadelphia against the 76ers Monday night.
Miami is arguably the most banged up that they have been all year and at a really unfortunate time. With just a month of regular season basketball remaining, this is the crucial part of the season where coach Erik Spoelstra would love to get some cohesion going with his playoff lineups. It is close to impossible to do so with key rotation guys never being available.
Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic are both listed as questionable and should be closer to gametime decisions. Butler and Jovic have missed each of the last two games.
Tonight’s game will tip off at 7:00 PM EST on Bally Sports Florida.
Injury Report (at the time of this publishing):
Miami Heat:
- Jimmy Butler (foot) — QUESTIONABLE
- Nikola Jovic (hamstring) — QUESTIONABLE
- Orlando Robinson (g league) — QUESTIONABLE
- Alondes Williams (g league) — QUESTIONABLE
- Duncan Robinson (back) — OUT
- Tyler Herro (foot) — OUT
- Kevin Love (heel) — OUT
- Josh Richardson (surgery) — OUT
Cleveland Cavaliers:
- Donovan Mitchell (nasal) — OUT
- Evan Mobley (ankle) — OUT
- Max Strus (knee) — OUT
- Dean Wade (knee) — OUT
- Ty Jerome (ankle) — OUT
- Pete Nance (g league) — OUT
- Isaiah Mobley (g league) — OUT
Projected Starting 5 (subject to change):
Miami Heat:
- Terry Rozier, G
- Caleb Martin, G
- Jimmy Butler, F
- Nikola Jovic, F
- Bam Adebayo, C
Cleveland Cavaliers:
- Darius Garland, G
- Caris LeVert, G
- Isaac Okoro, F
- Georges Niang, F
- Jarrett Allen, C
Betting Lines:
- Check the current odds out at FanDuel!
Broadcast Info:
- Tipoff: 7:00 PM EST
- TV: Bally Sports Sun (Eric Reid, John Crotty)
- Radio: AM 560 Sports WQAM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson)
- Spanish Radio: WAQI 710 AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda)
Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!
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Thread is up…
Good first half with the B team plus Butler and Terry. Maybe Mitchell and Bam having drinks somewhere and discussing their “future” 😄😜
Heat go up early in the quarter, squander, go up again, squander again. Flow of the game, I guess. However, I did not like seeing them go without a center in the latter part of the second quarter. Both Bryant and Robinson were holding their own.
Yes, they are doing well. They should get more minutes, Jovic minutes.
But not all of his minutes. Nice three Nico!
I’m not as down on Jovic as others here. And crazy as it sounds, I’m not totally down on Mills either. I think he’ll improve with time. He’s got playoff experience.
I agree. Nico has made sone improvement in the ratio of good to bad effects. And he will improve. And Patty is useful at times too. And Wright is just a little bit more good than bad too, maybe at a slightly better ratio than Mills or Jovic. And Bryant is about as useful as Wright. They all help a little. But, my point was ORob helps a little too. We need them all to take this game.
Butler already with 20
Heat lineups preserving health in these last games…I play you play. Might end up play in
I like the way Spo is using what he has available this game, which is pretty much everyone. If they all contribute, even just a little, we might be able to get the w.
Anyway, Let’s go Heat!
Threadless!
Butler in, good to see. We have a chance!
ORob!
Good start. Scary Terry!!
Can we get a game thread?
This might be it lol
Go Heat!
It’s been published since the game started, just for some reason wasn’t at the very top of the site.
No Bam tonight. I swear Miami’s medical team is just down right dangerous.
miami open starts today where will jimmy be
Rehabbing for next…commercial or music video?
Next Man Up!
GO HEAT!!!