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The Miami Heat will be looking to continue their winning ways when they host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Both teams have had a patchy run in the 2020-21 season, but the Heat seem to be in the ascendancy for now.
Match Details
Fixture: Golden State Warriors vs Miami Heat | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Thursday, April 1st, 8 PM ET (Friday, 5:30 AM IST)
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors have lost four of their last five games but returned to winning ways in their most recent matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Steve Kerr's men are barely holding on to the 10th spot in the West with a 23-24 record but will be looking to build on Tuesday's win.
Despite the Golden State Warriors' struggling run in March, Andrew Wiggins was largely on point from the field. During this period, he's averaged 21.3 points per game on 50.5% shooting. Wiggins contributed 23 points in this season's previous matchup against the Miami Heat.
Sophomore Jordan Poole also continues to grow in confidence. He scored only seven points against Chicago but still averaged 18.5 points per game in March.
Key Player - Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry missed five games for the Golden State Warriors with a tailbone injury but dropped 32 points in his return game against the Bulls. Curry looked as comfortable as he has been all season and his fitness shouldn't be a concern against the Miami Heat. He's averaging 29.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game this season while shooting at 47.5% from the field and 40.9% from downtown.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G Stephen Curry, G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Andrew Wiggins, F Draymond Green, C James Wiseman
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat will kick-start a four-game homestand starting with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors. This will allow the Heat to build on their current run of two consecutive games. Erik Spoelstra's men continue to be one of the worst teams in the league going forward but they're hard to score against too. They've allowed less than 90 points in each of their last two wins.
Duncan Robinson has had his struggles this season but the sharpshooter was in his element in the Miami Heat's last game. He scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting against the Indiana Pacers. Robinson is starting to hit his stride slowly and is averaging 14.4 points on 55% shooting from downtown in the last five games.
The Miami Heat should be able to get their first look at Victor Oladipo, who's expected to play against the Golden State Warriors. Kendrick Nunn has missed the last two games with an ankle problem and is questionable again for Thursday.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler had problems with COVID at the start of the year but he's back to his best. Butler has chipped in everywhere for the Miami Heat in March, averaging 23.5 points, 6.2 assists, 7.4 rebounds and two steals per game during this period. Butler had a triple-double in the previous game against the Golden State Warriors and will be looking ka make a similar impact on Thursday.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G Goran Dragic, G Tyler Herro, F Duncan Robinson, F Jimmy Butler, C Bam Adebayo
Warriors vs Heat Match Prediction
The Miami Heat have struggled with their scoring all season, but it's hard to beat them when they're defending every possession with elite discipline. Both Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson have also been in great form lately.
As far as the Golden State Warriors are concerned, you just don't know what to expect from anyone not named Stephen Curry. They've had a few players churning out consistent numbers, but that didn't really matter in the games Curry wasn't there.
This will likely be a closely fought affair, but the Miami Heat are the favorites to win.
Where to watch Warriors vs Heat?
Local coverage of this matchup will be available on NBC Sports Bay Area and Bally Sports Sun. You can also live stream the same via the NBA League Pass.
Also read: NBA Buyout Market 2021: 3 Players whom Golden State Warriors can target if they become available
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