Miami
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
The Heat defeated the upstart Bulls 108-97on Saturday and now face what could be one of their easiest stretches of games this week, that is, if you count weeks as ending on Saturday, because this upcoming Sunday they will be hosting the San Antonio Spurs in what is quite likely to be a Finals preview. The Spurs have the best record in the league and the Heat have the best record in the east. Each one can arguably boast having the world's greatest big man.
In the meantime, the Heat host Golden State tonight, then go on a two-game road trip against the struggling Knicks and the injured and young Bobcats. If they don't go three-and-oh through Friday, something is very very wrong.
If they do, that'll mean they'll be riding a five-game winning streak since the loss to Dallas last week as they welcome the Spurs. They'll be 8-2 in their last ten games. They'll be playing at home with their next game coming three days later, so there's no reason to rest for the next opponent.
It will be a tremendous game.
NEXT GAME
The Heat (35-14, first in the Southeast) host the Golden State Warriors (13-34, fifth in the Pacific) TONIGHT. The game starts at 7:30pm and will be broadcast on Sun Sports and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
Buy one $15 ticket over the internet for a selection of upcoming games (including tonight's matchup with Golden State), and get the second one free. Clickherefor this deal.
INJURY UPDATE
Qyntel Woods(knee),Christian Laettner(foot), andMalik Allen(back) are all on the injured list.
Stephen F. Holder ofThe Miami Heraldwrites: Eddie Jones doesn't get caught up in talking about numbers.But numbers are all people seem to want to talk about when it comes to Jones. His career-low scoring average, the noticeable dip in his shooting percentage, an $86 million contract many consider undeserved. But Jones has a side to tell in this story, even if he doesn't go out of his way to. Jones is never going to be the old Eddie Jones playing for this version of the Heat because, after leading Miami in scoring the past four seasons, he no longer is a focus of the team's offense.
Janny Hu ofThe San Francisco Chroniclewrites: The last time the Warriors faced the Heat, Dale Davis missed roll call. A bad back and an outburst directed at coach Mike Montgomery landed Davis on the injured list, and from his familiar roost on the Warriors' bench, he watched Shaquille O'Neal school Golden State for 26 points and 12 rebounds Jan. 12. Davis didn't like sitting, didn't like watching, but the forgotten man in the rotation also didn't have a choice.That isn't the case when the Warriors continue their four-game road trip in Miami tonight.
Marcus Thompson II ofThe Contra Costa Timeswrites: The Warriors frontcourt is in for a tough matchup tonight against Heat center Shaquille O'Neal.The Adonal Foyle-Dale Davis tandem is about all the Warriors will have to counter O'Neal. Even more, the Warriors are thin at power forward -- playing with undersized Eduardo Najera and Zarko Cabarkapa -- and at risk for another big game from the Heat's Udonis Haslem, who had 22 points and eight rebounds in a win in Oakland on Jan. 12. The Heat is seventh in the NBA in rebounding (42.63 per game) and third in blocks (5.95 per game).