Spurs vs. Heat GAMEDAY: San Antonio, Miami to Play NBA Mexico City Game
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On Saturday, the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat will participate in the 2022 NBA Mexico City Game. It's the first game that's been played in the country since 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The Spurs opted to travel early to Mexico City to get a workout and acclimate to the elevation. Much is made of the elevation in Denver, but Mexico City's elevation is 7,350 feet or 2,240 meters higher. Some players with health risks choose to sit out ultimately.
"I thought it would be best if I don't say a word, and hopefully (the players) don't figure it out," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said about the 7,200 feet of elevation. "I don't want to scare anybody. I haven't mentioned it to anybody, not at all."
The Heat have aspirations of contending for an NBA title. Getting the job done against a rebuilding team like the Spurs is important. Meanwhile, San Antonio is hungry to overachieve with young standouts like Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson setting the tone.
INJURY REPORT (SPURS): Blake Wesley - OUT (MCL Sprain), Jakob Poeltl - OUT (right knee bruise), Romeo Langford - DOUBTFUL (ankle) Zach Collins - Doubtful (ankle) Keita Bates-Diop - QUESTIONABLE (foot), Josh Richardson - Questionable (hand)
INJURY REPORT (HEAT): Jimmy Butler - PROBABLE (right knee injury management), Dewayne Dedmon - PROBABLE (plantar fasciitis), Udonis Haslem - QUESTIONABLE (Achilles tendinosis), Haywood Highsmith - QUESTIONABLE (quadriceps contusion), Kyle Lowry - OUT (knee soreness), Gabe Vincent - OUT (knee effusion), Omer Yurtseven - OUT (ankle surgery)
RECORDS: San Antonio Spurs (9-19), Miami Heat (15-15)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. CT
WHERE: Arena Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City)
TV: NBA TV
RADIO: Spurs Radio - WOAI 1200
ODDS: Heat -8.0
NEXT UP: The Spurs will play the Houston Rockets on Monday.
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