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The Miami Heat will lock horns with the OKC Thunder in an exciting 2021-22 NBA season match at Paycom Center in their last match of a five-game road trip to the West Coast on Monday.
The Heat returned to winning ways after a three-game skid in their last outing. They defeated the Utah Jazz 111-105. Meanwhile, the Thunder are coming off a 96-120 loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
Match Details
Fixture: Miami Heat vs OKC Thunder | 2021-22 NBA season.
Date & Time: Monday, November 15th; 8:00 PM ET (Tuesday, November 16th; 6:30 AM IST).
Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK.
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat have struggled defensively over their last few games. They did a decent job in their previous outing on that end against the Utah Jazz for large swathes. However, they almost blew their 27-point lead by the end of the last quarter and will have to get better in those situations.
Sharpshooter Duncan Robinson returned to form as he shot six of 11 from the 3-point line to record a season-high 22 points. Meanwhile, Tyler Herro continued with his fine form, scoring 27 in the absence of talisman Jimmy Butler. Erik Spoelstra's men shot an impressive 49.4% from the field.
The Miami Heat will need to put in a disciplined performance against the OKC Thunder if they are looking to earn a comfortable win before returning home. The Heat committed 19 turnovers against Utah and need to do a better job in that department.
Key Player - Duncan Robinson
Duncan Robinson has endured a difficult start to the new campaign. He has averaged 10.1 points on 35% field goal shooting and 33% 3-point shooting so far. Nevertheless, he struck top form in the last outing. That was crucial for the Miami Heat as they may be without Jimmy Butler for a third consecutive game on Monday.
Robinson's scoring will have a great deal of impact for the Heat, making his contribution on offense key to his team's success against the OKC Thunder.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G - Kyle Lowry | G - Tyler Herro | F - Duncan Robinson | F - PJ Tucker | C - Bam Adebayo.
OKC Thunder Preview
The OKC Thunder have exceeded their expectations with five wins in 12 games so far. Their young core is developing nicely and can produce winning performances if they find their rhythm.
That wasn't the case against the Brooklyn Nets in their previous game, though. Only Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Luguentz Dort were able to produce decent performances for the side. The former recorded 23 points on eight of 14 shooting, while the latter had 20 on eight of 11 shooting. Meanwhile, Ty Jerome (11 points) was the only other player to record a double-digit score.
The OKC Thunder were on a four-game winning streak before their loss to the Brooklyn Nets. They were down by 15 or more points in four of their five wins this season. The Thunder will need to get off to a good start to give themselves a legitimate shot at causing an upset against the Miami Heat.
Key Player - Josh Giddey
Josh Giddey has had a decent start to life in the NBA. The #5 pick of the 2021 draft is averaging 9.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists per contest so far. Giddey needs to start making an impact scoring-wise, though. If he can score at least 15 points or more consistently, the OKC Thunder will have a great chance of winning games moving forward.
That needs to happen against the Miami Heat on Monday as well. They are a team that relies on contributions from several players. If Giddey manages to score a decent number of points against Miami, the Thunder will fancy their chances of claiming a shocking win.
OKC Thunder Predicted Lineup
G - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | G - Josh Giddey | F - Darius Bazley | F - Luguentz Dort | C - Derrick Favors.
Heat vs Thunder Match Prediction
The Miami Heat haven't had a great run of form compared to the OKC Thunder if judged as per the result of the two teams' last five games. The Heat are a better team on paper, though, and their experience might outweigh the youthful energy of the Thunder when the two teams lock horns. That said, Miami is our pick as the favorite to win this contest.
Where to watch Heat vs Thunder
The game between the Miami Heat and OKC Thunder will be televised locally by Bally Sports Sun and Bally Sports Oklahoma. Fans can also catch live action via a subscription to NBA League Pass.
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