Two of the biggest surprise teams out East will be facing off. This should be give us a good ‘ol slugfest on both ends of the floor.

On a three-game winning streak

The Miami Heat have won three-straight games. They are 22-8 and jumping back-and-forth the second and third spots in the Eastern Conference. Ranking alongside the Boston Celtics as one of the best home teams in the league, the Heat have also won all but one of their 13 games at home this season.

Just like what it has been all year, the Heat will have a smorgasbord of weapons to choose from. The entire main rotation is basically averaging double figures – Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson – and each has scored 25 or more points multiple times this season.

Butler (20.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 2.1 SPG), a perennial All-Star, leads the pack, but keep in mind that he just had a game where he only took three shots and the Heat won, 129-114.

The silent assassins of the East

The Indiana Pacers ought to have that nickname. They are just a no non-sense team with great balance on both ends. The team is also boasting a 21-10 record even without the presence of an All-Star level player.

The Pacers are fourth in points allowed (105 PAPG), seventh in field goal shooting (46.8%), and third-fewest in turnovers. Like the Heat, the production is also well-distributed – the top three scorers (Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, and TJ Warren) are all averaging 17-plus, and three other players are also scoring above the double-digit mark per game.

Though only 7-7 on the road, Indy has won seven of its last eight games. The last victory was a 120-115 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors, where six Pacers scored in double figures and the team tied a season-high 18 three-pointers and dished out its second-highest assist total this season, with 34.

PREDICTION:

The two aggressive, defensive-minded teams engage in a classic blue-collar battle. The Heat take it, 111-105.