The Miami Heat (34-40) have found they match up well – at home – against the Cavaliers (48-27). But can this injury-depleted roster travel to Cleveland and find a way to steal a win?
Start Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Location: Game will be played in Cleveland at the Quicken Loans Arena
TV Info: TNT
Radio: 104.3 The Ticket
This one feels a little different, a vague assessment of Thursday’s prime-time matchup between the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. When these two teams met just weeks ago, it signified yet another turning point in a season that has winded more often than the Autobahn. Dwyane Wade – vintage, improved, or as great as always – was at his best on the national stage against friend and former teammate LeBron James.
But that’s not quite the case now, is it? Despite Wade’s heroics kicking off a brilliant week for him and the Heat, this team has continued to succumb to the injuries that have derailed a once-promising season. Starters Luol Deng and Udonis Haslem are questionable for tonight’s games against the Cavaliers and everyone else on the roster seems to be dealing with lingering injury issues that could limit their effectiveness.
We saw evidence of how this affects Miami on Tuesday against the Spurs, when they fought bravely for most of their came before finally collapsing against a San Antonio team that looks unstoppable. Cleveland has looked similarly impressive of late; James and Company have won 11 of their last 14 games with losses to the red-hot Nets, Hawks and, of course, Miami.
Miami has beaten Cleveland twice this season but both victories have come at home, when the drama and excitement of facing James’ new team fueled Wade to superhuman performances. In their sole meeting at “The Mistake by the Lake”, the Heat (without Wade, to boot) were blown out by 20.
The Heat’s injury situation could destroy any chance of stealing a win at Cleveland and erase what could be a preview of one of the more enticing matchups in this year’s playoffs. Both teams are already looking ahead to the potential meeting in the postseason, but there’s a catch…Miami actually has to find a way to continue winning and hold on to their tenuous grip on a playoff berth.
Miami currently holds on to the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference standings by their fingernails, just up over Brooklyn (currently at 8th) by virtue of a tiebreaker and only a half-game lead over Boston (currently 9th). A loss at Cleveland could send Miami’s playoff hopes reeling.
Make no mistake about it, there’s plenty of drama and intrigue shaping the script to tonight’s game. Unfortunately, Miami has lacked its star actors for most of the season and stand-ins like Michael Beasley and Henry Walker simply don’t have the chops to play their unexpected roles.
If the Heat have any hope of winning in Cleveland, it will likely be up to Wade, the aging veteran who can still rise to the challenge and chew the scenery with the very best of them.