Fresh off a convincing 31-point victory over the Sixers, the HEAT have made their way out west for a five-game road trip before the All-Star Break.
The Clippers are the first team on the docket Wednesday at 10PM, but we’ll get to them in just a second.
Let’s quickly recap Miami’s win against Philadelphia, shall we?
Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 38 points and Bam Adebayo played stellar defense and tied a career high with 11 assists, but let’s not take Derrick Jones Jr.’s defense or Goran Dragić’s offense for granted.
Jones Jr. and Butler took care of business at the top of the zone, as “Airplane Mode” racked up a game-high five deflections. Dragić, meanwhile, continued his scoring prowess both off the bounce and off the ball en route to a 24-point night versus the Sixers.
And part of the reason why the HEAT fell to the Clippers in their last meeting on Jan. 24 was because the Dragon was out. (Kendrick Nunn was sidelined too for that matter.) Then again, Paul George was out for L.A.
As a result, some guy named Kawhi Leonard went off for 33 points, including 17 in the third to put a stranglehold on the game. And while Dion Waiters and Kelly Olynyk made things interesting in the fourth, it just wasn’t enough in the end.
Since that victory, the Clippers have kept up their strong play defensively and won three of four. Of course, Miami has also won three of four during that span thanks to some insane offensive outings.
Something’s got to give.
We’ll see how it all plays out.
INJURY/STATUS REPORT:
-Kyle Alexander (Right Knee; Hyperextended & PCL Sprain), Tyler Herro (Right Ankle Soreness), Meyers Leonard (Left Ankle Sprain) and Justise Winslow (Lower Back Bone Bruise) are out for Miami.
-The Clippers have no injuries to report.