Who: Phoenix Suns (24-15) @ Miami Heat (20-19)
When: 5:30 pm Arizona time
Where: Kaseya Center — Miami, Florida
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The red-hot Phoenix Suns, who are 8-2 in their last ten, gear up for a long Eastern Conference road trip, first stopping down in Miami to take on the Heat. After just passing the Houston Rockets for the sixth seed in the Western Conference, the Suns look to carry the first-half dominance into this journey across the country.
This is the first matchup of the season for both squads, but it will happen again in Phoenix before the month ends.
Over the last two years, the Suns have won three out of the four matchups, losing the latest one. That said, both teams have been revamped: the Suns no longer have Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, while the Heat no longer have Jimmy Butler. These new identities for each team have shaped them into having brighter outlooks, with young players developing within each organization.
With the long road trip ahead, starting on the right foot is key for this Suns team, which has wreaked havoc on many of their Western Conference opponents at least once this year. Taking on another well-coached team like the Heat, who can be oh-so-physical, will present a challenge, one the Suns can overcome, like they have all season.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Jalen Green — OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
- Jamaree Bouyea — OUT (Concussion Protocol)
Heat
- Vladislav Goldin — OUT (G-League)
- Myron Gardner — OUT (G-League)
- Jahmir Young — OUT (G-League)
- Terry Rozier — OUT (Not with Team)
- Norman Powell — QUESTIONABLE (injury/illness, low back; soreness)
What to Watch For
I am watching to see how the Suns take advantage of their three-point shooting coming into this one. The Suns have found great success in this with their offense and by prioritizing it. Against a strong defensive team, it can take them over the top. A guy in Collin Gillespie has struggled as of late and is going into a tough matchup against Davion Mitchell. I am looking for him to take advantage of that by getting comfortable beyond the arc and being another solid playmaker to help create some offense and win.
Grayson Allen has also been making some scrappy plays as of late, even one that changed the course of the Knicks game, throwing the ball to former Suns Mikal Bridges. With the Heat’s hard work and hustle, I figure he will have to replicate similar plays to keep the Suns alive. Oh, and I can definitely look forward to seeing Dillon the Villain getting into it early, trying to get underneath some of the Heat players’ skin. He brings out the bulldog every night, but against a hard-nosed team, it will be needed even more.
Keys to a Suns Win
The Suns should keep an eye out for how the Heat uses both of their centers in Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. This team has struggled against some top-tier bigs in terms of size and physicality this season. Thinking back to just this past week against the Knicks and not too long ago with the Cavs, the Suns struggled to keep that physicality and rim pressure to combat those teams.
Getting outrebounded can not happen, especially against a Heat team that has two guys who can be a nuisance to the Suns in that regard.
Being able to control the glass and have a guy like Oso Ighodaro step up on defense once again could be that big solution that holds them together. The Heat also has a solid offense, with Noah LaRoche joining them this year as a consultant. His offensive style has been embraced by the Heat this year and has worked, so a scrappy defensive team is also going to be needed to get a win. Full pressure on their primary creators in Tyler Herro and Norman Powell if he plays.
Prediction Time
The Suns start their road trip off strong with a solid win against a hard-nosed Heat team.
Suns 102, Heat 97
