Can the Miami Heat overcome their in-state rivals on Monday night?

Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic faces off with Meyers Leonard #0 of the Miami Heat (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images)
Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic faces off with Meyers Leonard #0 of the Miami Heat (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat will go up against their in-state rivals in the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Always highly contested, can they emerge victoriously?

Just a day after the loss of one of the all-time great athletes, post-athletes, and people in general, the Miami Heat still have to take the court. As if the Black Mamba would want anything different but for the people to play ball, it will be surreal for many players knowing that the guy that inspired them to pick up the round ball is no longer here.

The Miami Heat, along with every other franchise set to tip off in the near future, will try to overcome these emotions on Monday night and beyond though. After dropping a tough game to one of, if not the best, teams in the NBA on Friday night in the L.A. Clippers, there could be no better result for the Miami Heat than to get a win on Monday night.

Dion Waiters made his first appearance of the season for the Miami Heat on Friday, as they were down a few bodies coming in and lost more as the game progressed. He played well during his time on the floor, coming up with a big block on one end and a huge three on the other during one sequence that brought the Heat to within three points in the closing minutes and a realistic chance to win the game.

With the health of the Miami Heat still being up in the air as of Monday morning, we hope that they at least get some of what they were missing on Friday back for Monday’s game. The Orlando Magic really had their way with the Heat in the painted area and on the glass in their last matchup, so to see the adjustments made there by Coach Spo will be something to keep an eye on. Here is everything else you need to know about the game.

Miami Heat gambling & odds vs Orlando Magic

Money Line- Miami Heat -238

Spread- Miami Heat -5.5

Total- 210

Gambling odds and information courtesy of The Action Network

How To Watch/Listen

Date: Monday, January 27, 2019

Time: 7:30 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- Kendrick Nunn

SG- Jimmy Butler

SF- Duncan Robinson

PF- Bam Adebayo

C- Meyers Leonard

Orlando Magic

PG- Markelle Fultz

SG- Evan Fournier

SF- Aaron Gordon

PF- Khem Birch

C- Nikola Vucevic