GAME PREVIEW: Heat visit Doncic and Mavericks

GAME STORY

The Miami Heat (5-1) will look to continue their impressive start to the season as they visit Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks (4-2) on national television Tuesday night.

The Heat have climbed to #1 on the SI.com and NBA.com Power Rankings and #2 on the ESPN.com NBA Power Rankings. People are taking notice of the Heat’s hot start and I’m sure Mark Cuban would love to see the Mavs put a halt to it.

The Heat have had an extra day off after they beat the Grizzlies on Saturday night, a game in which the Heat knocked in a season-high 21 three-pointers. The Heat are rolling, but they will have their hands full guarding Luka Doncic who is always a tough cover as a scorer and creator. Fortunately, the Heat have three solid players to throw at him with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and PJ Tucker. Although Tucker probably does not have the first step to guard Luka on the perimeter at this point.

The Mavs right now are a low scoring team (98.3 PPG - 28th) and a low ball-moving team (20.2 APG - 27th). Without Maxi Kleber, the Mavs will start a more versatile lineup that can cause the Heat some isolation problems, but the Heat should be able to dominate the boards and thus push the pace against them as they have all season.

The KEY MATCHUP is Luka Doncic against Jimmy Butler. Jimbo just won player of the week and has been rolling in his role as a scorer and defender (as opposed to a playmaker last year). Doncic is a tough cover, but I think making life tough on Luka is key to slowing Dallas. If Butler can put pressure on him on both ends, it will help Miami eventually pull away.

Side Note: Luka Doncic is averaging 22.5 PPG and Tyler Herro is averaging 22.0 PPG.

HEAT VS MAVERICKS: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AT 7:30 P.M.

INJURIES

MIAMI:

• Victor Oladipo - out (knee; surgery rehab)
• Max Strus - out (knee sprain)
• Bam Adebayo - probable (knee bruise)

DALLAS:

• Maxi Kleber - out (back)
• Kristaps Porzingis - questionable (back)

LINEUPS

BROADCAST INFO

TV: TNT
RADIO: The Ticket 790AM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson, Ruth Riley Hunter)
SPANISH RADIO: WAQI 710AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda, Joe Pujala)

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