Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks Predicted Starting Lineups and Depth Chart for Dec. 28 | 2024-25 NBA season

The Miami Heat face the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, their first of our regular-season meetings. Erik Spoelstra’s team has found its bearings without Jimmy Butler in their last two games. They look to win their third straight game when they visit the Hawks.

The Hawks are also on a two-game winning run. Trae Young has been playing through a right heel contusion, but Jalen Johnson has stepped up to carry the load on offense. Atlanta hopes to defend its home court behind the Young-Johnson tandem.

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Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks Injury Report

Miami Heat injury report

Dru Smith (Achilles surgery), Josh Richardson (heel inflammation) and Jimmy Butler (return to competition conditioning) are ruled out. Nikola Jovic has been ruled questionable due to a left ankle sprain. Pelle Larsson (ankle sprain) and Terry Rozier (knee inflammation) are probable.

Atlanta Hawks injury report

Onyeka Okongwu (knee inflammation) and Kobe Bufkin (shoulder injury management) are out. Cody Zeller is not with the team, so he is on the inactive list. Trae Young (heel contusion) and Mouhamed Gueye are iffy for Saturday’s game.

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Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks Starting lineups and depth chart

Miami Heat starting lineup and depth chart

Starters	2nd	3rd
Tyler Herro	Terry Rozier
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	Alec Burks
Duncan Robinson	Pelle Larsson
Haywood Highsmith	Nikola Jovic	Kevin Love
Bam Adebayo	Kel'el Ware

Atlanta Hawks starting lineup and depth chart

Starters	2nd	3rd
Trae Young	Vit Krejci
Dyson Daniels	Bogdan Bogdanovic	Garrison Matthews
Zaccharie Risacher	De'Andre Hunter
Jalen Johnson	Larry Nance Jr.	David Roddy
Clint Capela

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Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks: Key matchups

Tyler Herro vs Dyson Daniels

Without Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro becomes the No. 1 option for the Heat on offense. If the Hawks can limit his scoring and playmaking, the host will have a good chance of beating Miami.

Dyson Daniels, arguably the NBA’s best perimeter defender, will get the assignment of shadowing Herro. The Australian leads the league with 3.1 steals per game, but his impact is more extensive than that number. He chokes passing lanes and makes it tough for point guards to orchestrate the offense.

The Heat will counter by using screens to free Herro, but that matchup could decide the outcome of the game.

Jalen Johnson vs Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo plays center and is Clint Capela’s natural matchup. Spoelstra could assign the defensive ace to guard emerging star Jalen Johnson, who dropped a season-high 30 points on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls. If Trae Young isn’t cleared to play, Johnson ends up as the Hawks’ go-to guy on offense, making it key for Adebayo to limit his production.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. vs Trae Young

The Jaime Jaquez Jr.-Trae Young matchup happens if Ice Trae is cleared to play. Young might not be 100%, but he is a threat to dominate the game with his passing and shooting. Against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, he had 27 points and 13 assists with just two turnovers.

The Heat are hoping Jaquez has the size and mobility to limit Young.