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The Miami Heat will continue their road trip when they travel to the Big Easy to play the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Thursday, February 10.
The Heat are coming off a 121-100 win against the Washington Wizards. With their third consecutive win on the road, the East-leading Heat have improved to 35-20 on the season. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are also coming off a win. They beat the Houston Rockets 110-97 to continue their climb up the Western Conference leaderboard.
Thursday night's game will be the final matchup of the two-game season series between the two sides. With Miami winning their first meeting, New Orleans will look to level the series.
Match Details
Fixture - Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Thursday, February 10, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Friday, February 11, 2022; 6:00 AM IST).
Venue - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA.
Miami Heat Preview
Following their win against the Washington Wizards, the Heat are on a three-game winning streak, with their big three healthy.
The East-leading Heat have been one of the most impressive teams this season. Playing without their key players for large swathes of the season, the Heat finally have a relatively healthy roster.
Against Washington, they had solid contributions across the board. With seven players recording double-digit scoring, Bam Adebayo led the scoring with 21 points and seven rebounds.
The Heat bench also saw significant contributions from Caleb Martin, DeWayne Dedmon and Gabe Vincent. Shooting a highly efficient 56.5% from beyond the arc, the Heat will look to continue their win streak against the Pelicans.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
A key player for the Miami Heat in their upcoming matchup on the road could be Jimmy Butler. After spending much of the season out due to injury, Butler is healthy and available, which augurs well for the team's hopes this season.
Butler wields a lot of influence as a leader in the Heat rotation. With him and Adebayo on the floor, the Heat look like a different team. Although he is coming off a soft outing of 19 points, the 32-year old offers a lot at both ends of the floor.
Averaging 21.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in his last ten outings, Butler will look to replicate his exploits in this match. However, his role at the defensive end could also see him restrain Brandon Ingram and limit his scoring.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G - Kyle Lowry | G - Duncan Robinson | F - Jimmy Butler | F - PJ Tucker | C - Bam Adebayo.
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New Orleans Pelicans Preview
Although the New Orleans Pelicans had an abysmal start to their campaign, they have turned things around just past the halfway mark. Thanks to some inspired performances by Brandon Ingram and key contributions from their roster, the Pelicans are now in play-in contention.
The Pelicans could see some big news ahead of the trade deadline. Some new faces could join the side following a seven-player trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans could see CJ McCollum join their ranks alongside a few other players.
Although McCollum didn't play the last game, he should be available for this one. His addition to the lineup should give New Orleans a solid scoring option alongside Ingram.
Key Player - Jonas Valanciunas
A key player for the New Orleans Pelicans in their upcoming home fixture could be Jonas Valanciunas. The Lithuanian big man has been one of the best signings in the offseason, and his contributions have been key for the Pelicans.
Valanciunas is coming off an outing of 13 points and eight rebounds against the Rockets. Given Brandon Ingram's scoring ability, the Lithuanian hasn't been required to contribute as much on the scoring front.
However, the Pelicans' big man could have his hands full in securing rebounds against Miami. Against Bam Adebayo, Valanciunas will have to use his size and strength to keep the Pelicans going on the rebounding front.
He could also play a key role in clogging the paint to ensure the perimeter shooters get better looks.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
G - Devonte' Graham | G - CJ McCollum | F - Brandon Ingram | F - Herbert Jones | C - Jonas Valanciunas.
Heat vs Pelicans Match Prediction
The Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans is an exciting matchup. With both teams having significant momentum heading into this game, an interesting game should ensue.
However, the Heat are expected to emerge victorious. Although the Pelicans will enjoy homecourt advantage, the recent changes to their roster may force them to make some adjustments.
Additionally, the Heat will have their starting rotation at full strength. Their potential on the offensive and defensive end could overwhelm the young Pelicans side, as was the case in the previous meeting between the two teams.
Where to watch Heat vs Pelicans game?
The Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports New Orleans. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into ESPN 100.3 FM as well.
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