It’s Round 2 for the Miami Heat and the Utah Jazz in the 2021-22 NBA regular season. Will the Heat go 2-0 against Utah? Or, will the Jazz avenge their earlier loss to Miami?
Catch this game live on Sunday, November 14, at 5 AM, Manila time
Away: Miami Heat (7-5/3-4 on the road)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Kyle Lowry
- SG: Duncan Robinson
- SF: Jimmy Butler (questionable)
- PF: PJ Tucker
- C: Bam Adebayo
The Heat are on a slump, having lost all of their last three games. That also means that they are winless so far in their current road trip, which will take them to Salt Lake City this Sunday for a rematch against Jazz. If anything, at least the Heat are still 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games overall. They have also covered the spread in seven of their last 10 games on a Sunday (Manila time).
Miami, which lost to the Los Angeles Clippers last Friday at STAPLES Center to the tune of a 112-109, can get back on track when they face a team it had just beaten at home earlier this month. The Heat scored a 118-115 win in South Beach over the Jazz on Nov. 7, with Jimmy Butler leading Miami with his 27 points. Butler, however, is questionable for Sunday’s rematch against the Jazz due to an ankle problem that sidelined him in the Clippers game. In case he gets ruled out, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, and Bam Adebayo will have heavier loads to carry for the Heat, who are averaging 110.6 points per game.
Home: Utah (8-4/4-1 at home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Mike Conley
- SG: Donovan Mitchell
- SF: Bojan Bogdanovich
- PF: Royce O’Neale
- C: Rudy Gobert
Like Miami, the Jazz are on a downward trend. They are 1-3 in their last four games and are coming off a 111-100 loss on Friday at home to the Indiana Pacers. That’s also Utah’s first loss in Salt Lake City this season. Miami shot over 60% from the field in the first meeting with the Jazz, but it’s hard to expect the Heat post that kind of accuracy again. For one, the Heat’s offense has cooled off. Since then, Miami has made just 42.1% of their shots from the field and 28.1% of their attempts from behind the arc.
With or without Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell is going to be a handful for the Heat, whom the former Louisville Cardinals star torched for 37 points on 14-of-28 shooting in the previous head-to-head of these teams. The Jazz are also looking for Rudy Gobert to show up with a more robust effort this time around, as he only had eight points and eight rebounds in the loss to Miami. Utah will enter Sunday’s contest with a 7-3 record in their last 10 games as the home team against the Heat.
PREDICTIONS:
Spread:
The Heat looked competitive in their last two losses against quality teams on the road. Take the Heat to cover (+7.5).
Over/Under:
As both teams have already faced before, expect a more deliberate pace on offense for the Heat and Jazz. Take the Under (213.5).
