The shorthanded but never discouraged Miami Heat will put their best foot forward in an attempt to upset the best team in the league, the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday at 11:00AM on NBA TV Philippines (Smart GigaPlay app or Cignal TV).
The Heat are coming off a tough 115-113 loss against the Sacramento Kings on Monday with their lineup still depleted due to injuries and players in health protocols. Among those still out for Miami are Bam Adebayo, Max Struss, Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent, Markieff Morris, Udonis Haslem, and Dewayne Dedmon. But the Heat, who have their signature #HeatCulture tattooed on their system, remain competitive and resilient as ever.
In the two-point loss in Sacramento, Tyler Herro and reserve big man Omer Yurtseven had 22 points apiece while Kyle Lowry put up 14 points and 12 assists. Jimmy Butler, who had to deal with his own injuries this season, contributed 21 points, but missed a potential game-tying floater as time expired. Despite the fluid roster, the Heat have a 23-14 record, good for fourth in the East behind the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Warriors, however, probably represent the Heat’s toughest challenge so far with Steph Curry having an MVP-like season. The undisputed 3-point king added another record broken to his long list of history-making accolades. He’s up to 158 consecutive games with at least one made triple, surpassing the previous record he set in 2016. Curry is averaging 27.7 points per game and knocking down a career-best 5.4 triples. The two-time MVP and three-time champ is looking to add another trophy by season’s end.
Draymond Green has recently cleared the league’s COVID-19 protocols, giving more weapons to Golden State. Aside from James Wiseman and Klay Thompson, the Warriors are essentially back to full health.
The Warriors recently earned a 123-116 road victory over the Utah Jazz where Curry had 28 points and Andrew Wiggins tallied 25 points. The Jazz fell behind early, came back in the third quarter, but ultimately fell short in a battle between two of the best teams in the West. Golden State currently owns the best record in the league at 28-7.
Can the undermanned Heat score a huge road win or will the Warriors continue to roll?
