Cooper Flagg and Dallas will face off against Miami on Wednesday.
The Miami Heat (14-7, 3rd in Eastern Conference) head to Dallas on Wednesday to start a stretch of six road games in their next seven when they face the Mavericks (7-15). Here are the three big things to know before tipoff at 8:30 Eastern on NBA TV.
1. Heat’s scorching offense fueling surge: On Nov. 14, the Heat dropped their second straight game to fall to 7-6 and 9th in the Eastern Conference. Things were looking eerily similar to other recent seasons, as Miami has finished between 7th and 10th in the East in each of the last three years. Then, they flipped a switch and rattled off six straight wins. Their only loss since Nov. 14 came to the Pistons in a hard-fought, three-point loss Friday. A hallmark of this Heat team has been its offense. They rank second in the league in scoring (124.3 ppg) and do a great job of spreading the wealth to keep opposing defenses guessing. Four qualified players average over 15 points per game and Tyler Herro has been terrific since returning with 24.8 ppg in four outings.
2. Anthony Davis knocking off the rust: Davis recently returned from a 14-game absence on Nov. 28 and looked like vintage AD in Monday’s win over the Nuggets with 32 points and 13 rebounds over 32 minutes. That marked a new season-high for the star big man. In five games with at least 30 minutes played, Davis has averaged 26.4 points and recorded double-digit rebounds in each of those outings. His presence could be particularly important on Wednesday because the Heat rank 24th in the league in points in the paint allowed (53.3).
3. Digging into the numbers: These two teams stack up in a way that sets the table for an interesting chess match on Wednesday. We’ve established that the Heat have one of the league’s most prolific offenses, and it’s only getting stronger with Tyler Herro’s presence. Facing a Dallas defense that ranks 7th in defensive rating will present a uniquely tough challenge. Look for both teams to push the pace as well, as Miami leads the league in possessions per game (109.7) and Dallas checks in at No.4 (106.8). While Miami ranks well in defensive rating, it allows the most second-chance points to opponents, which could be an issue assuming Davis is full-go. There is a lot of strength-on-strength in this matchup and a few statistical mismatches as well, which sets this up as a must-watch on Wednesday night.
