The Miami Heat is a team that is impossible to predict, like a hurricane blowing across the Atlantic or a 3-year old hopped up on the sweet mix of juice boxes and cupcakes. You never know what they’re going to do next.
That was the case on Tuesday, when Miami limped into Brooklyn without two of its starters (Chris Bosh, Josh McRoberts) and the rest of the team struggling with either injury or inconsistency. Didn’t matter.
Sick as a dog, Dwyane Wade went out and scored 28 points (on 12-of-24 shooting), to go along with 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. Luol Deng, who has been on-again/off-again like a celebrity couple of teen pop stars, dropped 18 points and six boards, while playing exceptional defense on Brooklyn’s Joe Johnson.
All of which makes Wednesday’s matchup against Utah a surprisingly frightening possibility.
Bosh and Wade (when healthy) have been Miami’s most reliable options all season but the rest of the team has fluctuated in its productivity, waffling between really good to somewhat abysmal. Injuries, bizarre player rotations and a nasty schedule haven’t helped ensure quality and consistency, either. Following a game that was disrupted by the leaking roof of a multi-million dollar facility, the stability of playing at home against the Jazz (whom Miami defeated just five days ago) might spell disaster.
The Heat have lost three consecutive games and 7-of-11 overall at the AmericanAirlines Arena this season. This doesn’t bode well. And although the Jazz (6-19) have lost 12 of their last 13 games, one gets the feeling that nothing is secure this season. When the two teams met on December 12, Enes Kanter had a huge game against Bosh, finishing with 25 points and eight rebounds. Alec Burks and Gordon Hayward combined for 34 points while the other two starters – Trey Burke and Derrick Favors – added a measly 11 points. Utah’s Rudy Gobert protected the rim with five blocks and his 11 rebounds kept Miami off the glass all night.
Wade’s late-game heroics were the difference on Friday but will he be able to muster that same level of energy during tonight’s game? Similarly, Chris Andersen had his best game this season with 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and 4 points. Mario Chalmers was also impressive, adding 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. It’s likely there will be some fatigue, with Wade still recovering and with Andersen resting a sore back (at one point, he was iced up along the sideline and was doubtful to return…only to check back in minutes later. Unpredictable, I tell ya…)
While Miami’s victory over the Nets was encouraging, you can’t discount how much Brooklyn’s ineptitude had to do with it. They shot just 8-of-28 from long range and forced a number of shots that left you wondering if they were rushing out of the arena to a prior engagement. Despite this the game was still painfully close.
Utah is a cornered, wounded animal with recent losses and unmet expectations liable to dangerously explode at some point soon. While the odds are that it will happen soon, Miami will somehow impossibly tilt the odds and win by a huge margin. Or lose by a huge margin.
But it should be an interesting game and I can guarantee that someone will come away victorious. Just don’t ask me who.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. EST from the AAA. Check back with All U Can Heat for the latest news, as well as a recap and post-game grades.