The Miami Heat take on the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center tonight in a game that will feature two Eastern Conference teams that belong to the upper echelons of the league.
The Miami Heat are coming off a comprehensive 107-90 win against the Orlando Magic, improving their record to 2-1.
The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, defeated the Washington Wizards 104-90 in their last game. They returned to winning ways after a shock loss against the Charlotte Hornets.
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Match Details
Fixture - Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets | NBA season 2021-22.
Date & Time - Wednesday, October 27, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (Thursday, October 28th; 5:00 AM IST).
Venue - Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat put in a stellar performance against the Orlando Magic, excelling on both ends of the floor. Jimmy Butler stole the show, but Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Markeiff Morris also executed their roles perfectly.
The Miami Heat will take confidence from the fact that they won the game despite shooting 22% from downtown, and are a much better shooting team than they displayed against the Magic.
Superior ball movement was a major reason why the Miami Heat won their last game, and head coach Erik Spoelstra will hope it is a common theme this season.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
After a relatively slow start, Jimmy Butler has come into his own, averaging 24 points, four rebounds and four assists per game for the season.
He turned in an incredible performance against the Orlando Magic, scoring 36 points, three rebounds, and two assists. He wreaked havoc in the paint, drawing contact and forcing the Magic players to foul him.
Butler carries the two-way threat of a scorer and a playmaker and will be the Miami Heat's key player against the Brooklyn Nets.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G - Kyle Lowry | G - Duncan Robinson | F - Jimmy Butler | F - PJ Tucker | C - Bam Adebayo
Brooklyn Nets Preview
The Brooklyn Nets were far from their best against the Washington Wizards, but a team performance helped them get over the line. Bruce Brown Jr. and Patty Mills, the Brooklyn Nets' two key role-players, executed their part perfectly.
However, head coach Steve Nash will be concerned about starting point guard James Harden's form, who has not had the best of starts to the season.
The Nets will take heart from the fact that they are winning games despite Harden's poor outings and not excelling in all departments. They are only expected to improve going forward, and tonight should be an example of that.
Key Player - Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant has had an electric start to the 2021/22 NBA season, averaging 31 points, close to 10 rebounds and five assists per game. He is shooting 55% from the field and is coming off a 25-point, eight-rebound game.
Durant is one of the favorites to win the NBA MVP award this season but will face some strong competition from the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
Durant is the Brooklyn Nets' talisman and is expected to carry his side to another win against the Miami Heat.
Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup
G - James Harden | G - Joe Harris | F - Kevin Durant | F - Bruce Brown Jr. | C - Nicolas Claxton.
Heat vs Nets Match Prediction
Both teams looked in good touch in their last games, and it is expected to be a closely contested game.
It will be a showdown between the Miami Heat defense and Brooklyn Nets offense, and Steve Nash's side should be able to nick a win by a small margin.
Where to Watch Heat vs Nets
Live coverage will be available on YES Network and Bally Sports Sun. The Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets game can be streamed live on NBA League Pass as well.
Miami Heat Nation! You can check out the latest Miami Heat Schedule and dive into the Heat Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.