GAME PREVIEW: Heat visit Zion, Pelicans on TNT

GAME STORY

The Miami Heat are looking to build on their 3-game road winning streak as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans. The Heat, coming off a loss to the Atlanta Hawks, 94-80 on Tuesday, had won six straight games before that and are 17-18 on the season. A win would send them into the All-Star break at .500 and potentially at the 5th seed in the East. A loss could put them all the way back to 10th place depending on the outcomes of other games.

New Orleans is on the second night of a back-to-back after losing at home to the Chicago Bulls last night 128-124 despite scoring 45 points in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans are 15-20 on the season and losers of three of their last four games.

The Heat could really use Jimmy Butler back in this game because without him they will have a really hard time guarding Brandon Ingram. The cross matchups are difficult in this one for the Heat. They will likely slide Bam onto Zion and hope that Olynyk can stick with Steven Adams. In the starting group, no one can guard Ingram unless Butler is back, so the Heat could be in a bit of trouble without him.

The Heat beat the Pelicans on Christmas day and this will be their final matchup of the season.

ODDS: FiveThirtyEight gives the Heat a 50% chance to win the game.

HEAT VS PELICANS: THURSDAY, MARCH 4 AT 8:30 PM.

INJURIES

MIAMI:

• Meyers Leonard: out for season (shoulder)
• Avery Bradley: out (calf)
• Jimmy Butler: questionable (knee)

NEW ORLEANS:

• None

LINEUPS

BROADCAST INFO

TV: TNT, FOX SPORTS SUN
RADIO: The Ticket 790AM & The HEAT Radio Network (Mike Inglis, Ruth Riley Hunter)
SPANISH RADIO: WAQI 710AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda, Joe Pujala)

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