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The Charlotte Hornets will be on the road Monday for an Eastern Conference matchup with the Miami Heat in the 2020-21 NBA.
The Charlotte Hornets have been heating up recently, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks by 13 points in their last game. Meanwhile, the Heat will have their star Jimmy Butler back in the lineup after missing ten games due to COVID-19 protocol.
Both teams have some ground to make up in the Eastern Conference, which makes this matchup an intriguing battle.
Match Details
Fixture: Charlotte Hornets vs. Miami Heat - NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, February 1st, 2021, 7:30 PM ET.
Venue: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida.
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Charlotte Hornets Preview
The Charlotte Hornets are coming off of a big 12-point victory over one of the league's best teams. That has moved them to 8-11 on the season and ninth spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Hornets have been in the bubble for most of the season but have been unable to break through with consistent performances.
The Charlotte Hornets' offense is full of talented shooters, but the team has struggled to make stops at the defensive end. There are plenty of talented teams in the Eastern conference, so the Charlotte Hornets must find a way to separate themselves from the pack.
Their most recent victory over the Milwaukee Bucks is certainly a step in the right direction; they will need to build on this momentum for their matchup with the Miami Heat.
Key Player - Gordon Hayward
The biggest factor for the Charlotte Hornets' offense on a nightly basis is Gordon Hayward. After signing a big contract at the beginning of the season, the Charlotte Hornets front office expressed their faith in Hayward's abilities as a player and leader.
The 30-year-old has met expectations thus far, averaging a team-leading 22.9 points per game.
In the win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Hayward teamed up with LaMelo Ball to combine for 54 points, which comprised seven three-pointers. If Gordon Hayward can keep up this level of production, the Hornets could become a tough customer to handle down the stretch.
Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup
G Terry Rozier, G Devonte' Graham, F Gordon Hayward, F PJ Washington, C Cody Zeller.
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Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat have already seen the impact of Jimmy Butler's return, as he dropped a game-high 30 points to lift them over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. However, the Miami Heat have been going through a very rough stretch, losing eight of their last 11 games.
Offensively, the Miami Heat should start to see more success with the arrival of their best scorer. If defenses start to double-team Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat have role players that could do real damage if given space.
Nevertheless, this could be a very evenly-matched game and could come down to the final seconds.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler looked like he hasn't missed a game during his return to the court on Saturday night. The Miami Heat have, however, struggled horribly since losing Butler to COVID-19 protocols.
With his big 30-point night, Jimmy Butler surpassed the 10,000 career points milestone at the age of 31.
The star guard has only played six games this season but should continue to produce with great efficiency as the Miami Heat try to get back into the playoff picture.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G Jimmy Butler, G Duncan Robinson, F Tyler Herro, F Kelly Olynyk, C Bam Adebayo.
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Hornets vs Heat Prediction
With their star player Jimmy Butler back in the starting lineup, the Miami Heat have returned to relevance in the Eastern Conference.
Butler can provide a problem for any defender that steps in front of him, opening up shooting opportunities for 3-point specialist Duncan Robinson and young star Tyler Herro to get buckets as well.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have been getting tremendous production at the offensive end but could struggle defensively against the Miami Heat. A big night from Jimmy Butler and a victory for the Miami Heat is expected.
Where to watch Hornets vs Heat
Local coverage of this matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat will be available on Fox Sports Sun. The match will also be live-streamed on the NBA League Pass.
