Struggling team Miami Heat (2-3) will visit current Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City Thunder (5-1) on Nov. 7, Monday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena for a 2016-2017 NBA Season match.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 8:00 p.m. ET. It can be viewed live online thru the NBA League Pass.
Preview
Miami had lost three of their last four games as the team evidently missed having at least one superstar in their lineup this season. This is the first time that head coach Erik Spoelstra's squad is without anyone in their former Big Three of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade and the club is immediately feeling its effects.
The Heat was defeated by Eastern Conference powerhouse Toronto Raptors, 96-87, in their most recent game last Friday on the road at the Air Canada Centre, as per the Palm Beach Post.
Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic continue to lead the team with the former posting a monstrous double-double of 21 points and 16 rebounds while the latter contributing 17 points, five boards, and five assists.
Starting small forward Justise Winslow had 13 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a decent all-around game.
Off the bench, third-year pro Tyler Johnson scored 16 points while veteran big man James Johnson had 11.
Miami is 1-1 on the road so far this season.
Meanwhile, the Thunder redeemed themselves from the humiliating loss to the Golden State Warriors in their previous game by crushing the Minnesota Timberwolves, 112-92, last Saturday at their home court of Chesapeake Energy Arena, Fox Sports reported.
A tamed Russell Westbrook led the squad with 28 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and three steals, shooting 4-for-5 from three-point range in only 28 minutes.
Four other OKC players scored in double figures, namely Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, Victor Oladipo, and Semaj Christon with 20, 14, 12, and 10 respectively, in a balanced offensive attack for head coach Billy Donovan's side.
Kanter also led the team in rebounding with 10 coming off the bench while Adams had eight boards as the starting center.
Prediction
Whiteside and Dragic are playing well for the Heat, but the duo is evidently not enough for Miami to go places this season. Westbrook continues to play angry and so the Thunder is projected to pull off another double-digit home victory.
