Dallas Mavericks At Miami Heat Preview
After Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Heat have lost seven of the last nine games. Their last two losses were to teams with losing records, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday. In a one-week span, the Heat dropped games against the Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks, all among the league's worst teams. The Heat are just 12-14 in the last 26 games ... This is the second meeting between the teams. Behind 27 points from Jimmy Butler, the Heat won 122-118 Dec. 14 in Dallas ... Over his last three starts, forward Kelly Olynyk is averaging 11.3 points while shooting 68.8 percent (11-16), including 9 of 13 from the 3-point line ... Butler ranks sixth in the league with 1.75 steal a game ... Forward Duncan Robinson has made a 3-pointer in 43-straight games, the longest single-season streak in team history... On Monday, guard Gabe Vincent was sent back to the G League affiliate in Sioux Falls ... Center Meyers Leonard (ankle), guard Tyler Herro (foot) and forward Kyle Alexander (knee) are out ... The Mavericks have won two straight and four of the last five games. They are No. 7 in the Western Conference standings ... Guard Luka Doncic ranks sixth in the league at 28.7 points per game. It marks the fourth time he faces fellow Slovenian Goran Dragic ... Willie Cauley-Stein (personal) and Jalen Brunson (shoulder) are out. Dwight Powell (Achilles) is out for the season.
Game time: 8 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports Florida
Line: Miami -2.5
