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The surging Miami Heat will look to stay hot when they travel to FedExForum for a showdown against the Memphis Grizzlies in their first matchup of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Jimmy Butler has led the Miami Heat on one of the best win streaks in the association in recent weeks, winning eleven out of their last twelve games ahead of this fixture. Meanwhile, Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have struggled in their recent stretch and have lost three straight games to stay below .500 on the season.
Match Details
Fixture: Miami Heat vs. Memphis Grizzlies Prediction - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 17th, 2021 9:00 PM PM ET. (Thursday 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat have put the league on notice with their stellar play, ascending to 4th place in the Eastern Conference with a 22-18 record behind them. After many trials and tribulations this campaign, the Heat are once again looking like the powerhouse fans witnessed last postseason.
The Miami Heat enter this contest on an impressive five-game winning streak with their latest victory coming against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Erik Spoelstra's side saw as many as six players scoring in double digits to secure their 22nd victory of the campaign.
Leading the charge on the night was none other than Jimmy 'Buckets' Butler, who produced a 28-point outing in which he also added 12 boards and 4 assists in 32 minutes on the floor. Meanwhile, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro combined for 29 points between them.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
After a rollercoaster ride in the first half of the season, Jimmy Butler has hit his stride in the recent stretch. He has scored at least 27 points in the last seven games and could tie for the franchise record if he can repeat the magic against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
LeBron James holds the franchise record of eight consecutive games with at least 27 points in his time with the Miami Heat.
In 26 games this season, Butler is averaging 21.7 points on a 47.6% shooting display from the field. He is also putting up 7.8 dimes and 7.5 boards per game while averaging 2.2 steals per contest.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G Kendrick Nunn, G Duncan Robinson, F Jimmy Butler, F KZ Okpala, C Kelly Olynyk
Memphis Grizzlies Preview
The Memphis Grizzlies have had a turbulent few weeks, dropping three straight games ahead of this fixture. As a result, the Memphis Grizzlies are now 17-19 on the season, which is good for 10th place, one game behind the Golden State Warriors in the stacked Western Conference.
The Memphis Grizzlies are allowing 113.7 points per game to opposing teams and will need to tighten things up when the Miami Heat come knocking at their doorstep on Wednesday. Memphis is led by Ja Morant in the scoring and assists department, while Jonas Valanciunas continues to average a double-double with 16.2 points and a team-best 11.9 rebounds per game.
Key Player - Ja Morant
Ja Morant is the face of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise and the 21-year-old looks to have returned to his explosive form in the second half of the campaign. The second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant is averaging 24 points on 45% shooting accuracy across six games in March, which include two 35-point outings against the Wizards and the Bucks respectively.
However, Morant is coming off a slow game in Memphis' loss to the Suns, where he only managed to put up 15 points in 29 minutes from the floor. He will need to pull out all the stops against a red-hot Jimmy Butler to bring the Memphis Grizzlies back on the winning track.
Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup
G Ja Morant, G Desmond Bane, F Dillon Brooks, F Kyle Anderson, C Jonas Valanciunas
Heat vs Grizzlies Match Prediction
The Miami Heat have found their groove and will roll out at the FedExForum as the favorites to win this contest. At the other end, the Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a three-game losing streak and could face an uphill battle against a Miami Heat roster that is firing on all cylinders.
Another worrying stat line for the Memphis Grizzlies and coach Taylor Jenkins is their home record (8-12), which does not inspire confidence against Miami's road record (10-10).
The upcoming fixture will display a showdown between two stars in Jimmy Butler and Ja Morant. That said, the Miami Heat are the favorites to take this one.
Where to watch Heat vs Grizzlies?
The game between the Miami Heat and the Memphis Grizzlies will be telecast on Fox Sports Southeast (Memphis) and Fox Sports Florida and Sun (Miami). Fans can also live stream the game via the NBA League Pass.
