The Miami Heat are looking for their 4th straight win as they visit the Boston Celtics.
GAME STORY
The Miami Heat (10-11) are looking to make their way back to .500 when they face the team with the best record in the NBA, the Boston Celtics (17-4).
Miami already lost to Boston earlier this season at home, and now will have the monumental task of defeating them in Boston without Jimmy Butler. Jayson Tatum is fifth in the NBA scoring 30.8 PPG.
The Heat have had a rocky start to the season, and you can see the long injury report below. But they have reeled off three straight wins, and have had two days of rest to prepare for the Celtics, who have won 13 of their last 14 games.
The Celtics have a bunch of players that cause problems for Miami. Grant Williams is the type of player that will take advantage of the Heat’s lack of size, and strength at the 4 position. And Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White both present length challenges for the Heat when they are playing point guard. On top of that, guarding Jayson Tatum (without Jimmy Butler) is a problem.
This is a game that Bam Adebayo will need to take control. Luckily he has been on a great run recently. I would say the key matchup is going to be between Kyle Lowry and Marcus Smart. When either of those players do well in this matchup, their team is much more likely to be successful.
This is a nationally televised game, so let’s hope the Heat show up and win!
INACTIVE/INJURIES
MIAMI:
- Victor Oladipo: out
- Omer Yurtseven: out
- Tyler Herro: questionable
- Jimmy Butler: out
- Duncan Robinson: questionable
- Gabe Vincent: questionable
- Max Strus: probable
- Dewayne Dedmon: questionable
- Haywood Highsmith: questionable
- Caleb Martin: questionable
- Jamal Cain: questionable
- Nikola Jovic: questionable
BOSTON:
- Jaylen Brown: questionable
- Robert Williams III: out
- Danilo Gallinari: out
LINEUPS
ODDS (via FanDuel)
The Heat are a +9 in Boston (not good) and the over/under for the game is 224.5.
BROADCAST INFO
TV: NBATV, BallySports
TIPOFF: 7:30 PM EST
RADIO: The Ticket 790AM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson, Ruth Riley Hunter)
SPANISH RADIO: WAQI 710AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda, Joe Pujala)
Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!