The Miami Heat play host as they aim hard on getting back at the Boston Celtics, who manhandled them in the previous meeting.
HOME TEAM: Miami Heat (32-14, 21-2 at home)
The Heat just got done avenging their loss to the Orlando Magic weeks back. They pummeled their crosstown rivals, 113-92, as led by Bam Adebayo recording his third triple-double of the season and Duncan Robinson burying six threes en route to a team-high 21 points. The win will bring fuel as they try to do the same on the Celtics tomorrow.
With the exception of Jimmy Butler, the entire Heat team was silenced in the 112-93 loss to the Celtics last December 5th. He dropped a game-high 37 points on 12-for-18 shooting (six threes) while the rest of his teammates combined to shot just 36%.
Butler (20.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.8 SPG) and Adebayo (16 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.2 BPG) will continue being the flag bearers of the Heat’s versatile play, but don’t count out Robinson and the others to deliver as well.
ROAD TEAM: Boston Celtics (30-15, 12-10 on the road)
The Celtics slid back to the loss column Monday after the undermanned squad got dominated by the New Orleans Pelicans, 123-108. It snapped a three-game winning streak but marked as their seventh loss in 12 games.
The injury list is currently long and it includes key scorer Jayson Tatum (21.5 PPG) and defensive leader Marcus Smart. Both day-to-day and still unsure for tomorrow’s meeting.
Boston’s rout of Miami in early December starred Kemba Walker (22.4 PPG) and Jaylen Brown (20 PPG), who combined for 59 points and 11 three-pointers. The two are inside the team’s top three in scoring along with
Tatum, and they are sure to come up big should the injured forward sits outagain.
Gordon Hayward is averaging 22.5 points, 10 rebounds, and3.5 assists over his last two outings. He’s bound to stay in such a pace if the Celtics remain shorthanded.
PREDICTION:
The Heat’s hard-nosed core going against a scoring trio like the Celtics (assuming Tatum plays) should be entertaining. It will be a good back-and-forth but the Heat will ultimately win. They tie the season series with a 114-106 victory.
