The Miami Heat are 4-1 and about to face their toughest test of the season. Will they be up to it as James Harden and Russell Westbrook come to town?
The Miami Heat are 4-1 and coming off back to back wins against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday and Thursday. The first win was in Miami and saw the Atlanta Hawks lose their star point guard in Trae Young, to what turned out to be a multiple-game missing type of injury.
Having to go right back at it less than two full days later, the Miami Heat were able to go in and hand the Atlanta Hawks a similar fate in State Farm Arena on Thursday. Without Trae Young at the helm, this Miami Heat team proved to be too much for the Hawks team to handle once again.
While the Hawks were a good test of fortitude, with their ability to constantly close the gaps and keep the game close for a while throughout them both, the Rockets will be a test of blunt force. Plain and simple, if the Miami Heat aren’t clicking on all cylinders offensively when this Houston team hits the floor, they will be ran out of the gym and embarrassed.
This should definitely be the case on Sunday when these two teams face off against each other, as the Houston Rockets will be coming off their second loss of the season, with this one being taken on Friday night at the hands of Kyrie Irving and his Brooklyn Nets. Something else to keep in mind about this game is that it should be fast-paced and up and down, with both these teams being ranked near the top of team pace rankings in the NBA.
While reports seem to indicate that Dion Waiters will be made available for the first time this season after coming off of suspension, KZ Okpala and Derrick Jones Jr. will not play due to injury. Jimmy Butler and Justise Winslow are both questionable for tomorrow’s contest with a bruised foot and lower back issues, respectively. With that in mind, we will project the starting lineups as if both questionable players will play, but note that this is subject to change based on their “questionable” statuses.
Miami Heat gambling & odds vs Houston Rockets
Money line- Miami Heat +130 Houston Rockets -150
Spread- Miami Heat +3
Total- 233.5
Gambling odds and information courtesy of The Action Network
How To Watch/Listen
Date: November 3, 2019
Time: 6:00 PM EST
Location: American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida
TV: Fox Sports Sun(locally), Fubo.tv
Radio: WAXY 790 AM, WAQI 710 AM
Starting Lineups
Miami Heat
PG- Justise Winslow
SG- Kendrick Nunn
SF- Jimmy Butler
PF- Bam Adebayo
C- Meyers Leonard
Houston Rockets
PG- Russell Westbrook
SG- James Harden
SF- Danuel House Jr.
PF- PJ Tucker
C- Clint Capela