Miami Heat’s next opponent, the Phoenix Suns, plays at a faster pace than the Los Angeles Lakers

The Phoenix Suns might present more of a challenge to the Miami Heat than the Sun’s record indicates, because the Heat have problems dealing with fast-paced teams.

Below is Miami’s record against the top-five fastest NBA teams (last 10 games) this season;

• New Orleans Pelicans 106.5 pace: 0-2
• Phoenix Suns 105.0 pace: 1-0
• Los Angeles Lakers 103.4: pace 0-1
• Atlanta Hawks 103.4 pace: 1-1
• Golden State Warriors 103.1 pace: 0-2

TOTAL: 2 wins - 6 losses

The 126-115 victory over the Suns in November stands as one of two wins, against six losses, to teams on the run, including the probable lottery Lakers and Hawks teams.

For a team averaging 101 points, scoring 126 points again might be problematic, and the 113 points versus the Lakers seems more the norm.

The Suns lost to Hawks, 113-112, today, and will come into Miami on the second game of a back-to-back set, so the Heat might catch a break there.

In their first game versus Phoenix, both Josh Richardson and Dion Waiters fouled out defending the speedy Suns team.

Hassan Whiteside had a monster game against a team that featured youthful exuberance over a dominant, but slow, presence in the paint like Andre Drummond.

Miami has won 3 of their last 4 games, with the only loss coming at the hands of a team that ran the Heat out of American Airlines Arena.

Losing 6 of 8 games to teams among the top 5 in pace provides food for thought in Monday night’s showdown, although the Suns at 19-46 have no incentive to win the game.

Tuesday’s match against the Washington Wizards comes up next, and this week’s activity in the playoff hunt winds down with games against the Philadelphia 76ers and a Wizards encore in Miami.