ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM WRUF ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM WRUF
The Miami Heat will face the Phoenix Suns at home Monday night at 7:30 p.m. They hope to break a six-game slide that features three double-digit losses.
Miami Heat in Desperate Need of a Win
The Heat (24-22) enter this cross-conference matchup with the Suns having lost six straight games, dropping their closest to .500 since November. The Suns (26-20) are coming off losses to the Magic and Pacers in their last two bouts after having won seven straight. They sit sixth in the Western Conference with a little over two months left in the season.
With the recent losses, the Heat have slid to seventh in the Eastern Conference after being in the top five earlier in the year. Their matchup with the Suns is the third in a stretch of four consecutive games against teams with a winning record. Their past two games have featured lopsided losses: 143-110 to the Celtics and 125-109 to the Knicks.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 27, 2024
Defensive Struggles
After the matchup with the Knicks on Saturday, Heat players expressed their disappointment with the recent struggles and possible issues. Two-time All-Star Bam Adebayo believes the problems lie on defense.
“We have defensive lapses, lack of communication.”
The Heat have let up at least 100 points in all six of their recent losses, averaging 118 points allowed per game, a seven-point difference from their season average of 111.6.
Miami’s defense will be tested as the Suns enter this contest ranked No. 13 in the league in scoring. Their offense features two 28-point-per-game scorers in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Booker has scored 46, 62 and 44 in his last three games. In each the Suns’ last six games, one of Durant or Booker has gone for at least 40 points.
Devin Booker is averaging 50.7 PTS over his last 3 games! pic.twitter.com/pJY9ITxpB8
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 29, 2024
Rozier Can’t Find Footing with Miami Heat
This past week, the Heat traded for Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets. The guard had averaged 23.2 points per game through 30 games with Charlotte this season. His addition made Miami the only team in the NBA with four 20-point-per-game scorers. He joined Tyler Herro (21.6 ppg), Jimmy Butler (21.0 ppg) and Adebayo (21.0 ppg) in the starting lineup.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1750538267617849347
The Heat, reeling from recent scoring issues, expected the addition of Rozier to their rotation to aid their offense. That hasn’t happened. Through his first three games, he is averaging 8.7 points in 30 minutes per game.
The Miami Heat will look for more production from him as they hope to hold with the potent scorers of the Suns.
Looking Forward
After this matchup with the Suns, the Heat will face the Kings (26-18) at home on Wednesday. The Suns will travel up the east coast to visit the Nets (18-27) on Wednesday.
