NBA Preview: Miami Heat versus Brooklyn Nets

The Miami Heat (14-9) will look to continue their momentum when the team visits the Brooklyn Nets (7-17) tonight.

In the midst of a three game losing streak, the Heat were finally able to pull out a victory versus the Grizzlies last Sunday, and then followed up with an impressive win against the Hawks on Monday, a victory in which Miami held Atlanta to just 39.3 percent in shooting and only 88 points, well under the Hawks’ season average of 99.7 points per game. The victory ended the Heat’s seven game losing streak against the Hawks, a streak that extends back to January of 2014.

The Nets will try to avoid their third loss in a row. It has been a disastrous season for Brooklyn so far, a season that began with seven straight losses and only seven victories since then. The Nets have struggled offensively this season, averaging just 96 points per game, which ranks 27th in the NBA. Brooklyn has lost by 15 points or more six separate times this season; three of those losses were by at least 20 points, including an ugly 27 point loss to the Spurs on October 30.

With a subpar offense, the Nets will have their hands full tonight versus the Heat, as the Heat rank second in the NBA in opponent points per game and third in opponent assists per game. The Heat also have Hassan Whiteside, who leads the league with an average of four blocks per game.

Miami will be without assistant coach Keith Smart, who is recovering from surgery to treat a rare form of skin cancer. Smart should return in January. Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic is expected to be in action tonight after chipping a tooth in the victory against the Hawks on Monday.

The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City.