The Miami Heat have had an up-and-down start to their season, the low point coming on Wednesday during a loss to the depleted Indiana Pacers. But the Heat (5-3) don’t have much time to dwell as they travel to Atlanta to take on a team that has gone undefeated at Phillips Arena this season.
The Hawks (4-3) are riding a three game win streak, thanks to the Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver. Millsap has a history of torching Miami dating back to his days with Utah. He’s a versatile scorer, capable of lighting you up from the perimeter or contorting himself for points at the rim. He’s averaging 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds a game but he exploded for 30 points against the Jazz in a Wednesday night win. Millsap and center Al Horford create mismatches in the frontcourt with their physical presence; a glaring weakness for Miami, these could be dangerous matchups. Things don’t get any easier for the Heat when Pero Antic, a 6’11” burly forward with legitimate 3-point range, enters the game.
Korver is an elite shooter and leads Atlanta at 16.7 PPG. He’s a blur without the ball, using screens effectively and continuously moving until he gets the shot he wants. All he needs is a little space and his range his unlimited – harassing him all night will be a challenge. With old OKC nemesis Thabo Sefalosha starting at the small forward position, look for Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng to switch onto Korver frequently throughout the night.
Atlanta has seen good guard play from starter Jeff Teague, a streaky shooter that is good for eight assists a game. His backup, Dennis Schröder is lightning quick; how he matches up with Shabazz Napier could determine how much playing time Miami’s rookie sees on Friday.
The Hawks swing the ball around efficiently and are currently ranked third in the NBA in assists at 23.9 per game. In a way, they create a lot of the same matchup problems that Miami does, although that was hardly evidenced in the Pacers loss. The Heat failed to do what’s led them to early-season success, namely causing lapses in defensive rotations and hitting wide-open cutters in the paint or shooters along the perimeter. While Wade has been consistent, Chris Bosh had his worst outing this season against Indiana. In foul trouble and out of sync, he totaled just nine points (on 3-of-13 shooting). He’ll need to be aggressive on both sides of the floor, drawing either Millsap or Horford away from the rim with his outside shooting.
While you can expect Bosh to bounce back, the Heat have shown that a third scorer is necessary for a victory. It could be Deng (who regressed after a 30-point showing on Sunday with just five points against the Pacers) or Shawne Williams, who has been a deadly shooter for Miami this season. Mario Chalmers, who has thrived as a sixth man for most of the season, will need to be sharper than he was on Wednesday.
I expect Josh McRoberts to have a big game against Atlanta. Although he hasn’t been very productive thus far, he seems more comfortable with every outing and is finding a way to mesh with his new teammates. He can use his versatility to exploit slower defenders like Antic or veteran Elton Brand.
It’s important for Miami to use every game as an opportunity to improve. While coach Erik Spoelstra continues to tinker with his rotations (finding a way for Chris Andersen, Udonis Haslem and James Ennis to contribute), keep in mind he’s building up toward finding a combination that works best. It’s a long-term approach for a team still searching for consistency.
With the Hawks and Heat battling for divisional supremacy, this game takes on added significance.
Tip-off is at 7:30 at Atlanta, and the game will be televised on Sun Sports. Check back with All U Can Heat for a recap, analysis and post-game grades.