The Phoenix Suns (15-45), who have the top shooting defense in the league, will go head-to-head against the Miami Heat (34-26) at AmericanAirlines Arena. Action begins at 7:30 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 3 and will air on SUN and FAZ.
The Heat come into this game on a high note after thoroughly outplaying the Bulls 129-111 on Tuesday. With 26 points and 14 rebounds, Hassan Whiteside recorded his 25th double-double of the season. The Suns, meanwhile, are coming off a blowout 126-92 loss at the hands of the Hornets on Tuesday. Mirza Teletovic played well for Phoenix, registering 17 points, one rebound, and one block.
Over the last five games, Whiteside has really been playing well for the Heat. During that stretch, he has averaged 19.0 points, 14.2 rebounds, 1.0 steal, and 4.4 blocks.
It will be a tale of two tempos, as the fast-breaking Suns (ranked fourth in the league in possessions per game) take on the grind-it-out Heat (29th).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Heat winning the first matchup 103-95. Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 27 points.
The Heat have gone 34-26 Straight Up (SU) and 32-27-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 34-26 SU and 32-27-1 ATS against teams from the Western Conference. Opposing teams know they’re in for a battle when they play Miami’s stingy defense. The Heat are one of the top teams when it comes to defense, allowing just 96.9 points per game. Expect Miami to have lots of opportunities at the line against the Suns, who lead the league with an average of 23.7 fouls per game.
In the other locker room, the Suns have a record of 23-37 ATS and 15-45 SU. Phoenix performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 7-3 record.
The Heat’s win over Phoenix in their last game moved their SU record against Phoenix to 10-0 over the last 10 meetings. Furthermore, the Heat hold the advantage ATS with a record of 9-1.
Predictions: SU Winner – Mia
Notes
Phoenix ranks 22nd in points per game with 100.5, while Miami ranks second in points allowed with an average of 96.9 given up.
Phoenix puts up an average of 97.3 points per away game (ranked 25th), while Miami gives up 97.2 points per home game (ranked fourth).
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Heat are 27-10 on the season. When the Suns score fewer than 100, they are a subpar 1-27.
At 7-16, the Miami Heat have a losing record when their opponents score at least 100 points. The Phoenix Suns are 14-18 when they put up triple digits.
The Suns have a defensive rating of 108.6 (ranked 29th). The Heat rank 21st for their offensive rating of 102.9.
The Phoenix Suns average 100.5 possessions per game and 1.000 points per possession. The Miami Heat earn fewer possessions with 94.7, but they score more points with 1.029.
Miami has an average effective field goal percentage of 49.9%. Phoenix is an abysmal 6-39 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, the Miami Heat attempt 18.0 three point field goals per game and the Phoenix Suns attempt 25.0 per game. In games where they attempt at least 25 threes, both teams have losing records; Miami is 1-3 and Phoenix is 8-25.
Miami has an assist to turnover ratio of 1.52 this season (ranked 19th), while Phoenix ranks lower at 29th with an A/TO of 1.26.
The Miami Heat rank 23rd in offensive rebounding, while the Phoenix Suns rank 22nd in defensive rebounding.
The Miami Heat average .0 steals per game (ranked first). The Phoenix Suns have an abysmal record of 15-45 when they allow at least steals.
