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Two sides hoping to maintain their undefeated record in this year's NBA Summer League will face off on Friday when the Miami Heat play the Utah Jazz.
The Miami Heat's roster is causing all sorts of problems for opponents. Coming off their two victories in the California Classic Summer League, the Heat have put on an offensive masterclass in both of their wins in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, for the Utah Jazz, this is an opportunity for their young stars to test themselves after two late wins against the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks.
Match Details
Fixture - Miami Heat vs Utah Jazz | NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2021.
Date & Time - Friday, August 13th, 5:00 PM ET (Saturday, August 14th, 2:30 AM IST).
Venue - Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV.
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat have been nothing short of excellent so far in the NBA Summer League. In both of their wins, the Heat have scored 97 points and have averaged 48 rebounds, ranking them second overall in both categories.
They have an array of elite scoring options, both in their starting five and on the bench, with seven separate players grabbing double-digit points so far in one of their contests. Max Strus led the Miami Heat while Omer Yurtseven continued his impressive summer, scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 boards in their win over the Grizzlies.
The Heat are in serious contention to walk away from the Summer League with the trophy and will look to make it three wins from three with a sustained shooting performance against the Utah Jazz.
Key Player - Max Strus
Max Strus has been on fire for the Miami Heat in the NBA Summer League and will be excited about how he can contribute to the team in the upcoming season after recently signing a new two-year deal.
In the Heat's narrow victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Strus hit the game-winning three in double overtime, finishing the game with 32 points. He shot the ball impressively from deep throughout the encounter (41%) and added nine boards to complete his excellent statline.
He has been the Miami Heat's most influential player so far and has played the most minutes. In their opening win against the Denver Nuggets, Strus once again led his teammates with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - DeJon Jarreau l Shooting Guard - Marcus Garrett l Small Forward - Max Strus l Power Forward - KZ Okpala | Center - Omer Yurtseven.
Utah Jazz Preview
Akin to the Miami Heat, the Utah Jazz have also won both of their opening encounters in Las Vegas, though in slightly less glamorous fashion. In their first win, the Jazz' highest scorers tallied just 10 points and the team finished with 63 overall. However, the Phoenix Suns shot at an even lower rate from the floor and registered six points fewer than their opponents.
The Utah Jazz were able to step it up in their second fixture against the Dallas Mavericks, though. All five starters finished with double-digit points, as did MaCio Teague, who scored 13 points and had three assists in 13 minutes off the bench.
Shooting at 41% from the field in their encounter with the Mavs helped the Jazz to a late, one-point victory, as too did their staggering 11 blocks with center Udoka Azubuike grabbing six on his own.
Key Player - Trent Forrest
Trent Forrest's shot-making and creativity on offense has been a mainstay in the Utah Jazz' games so far. In fact, his performances have impressed the team's brass enough for him to earn another two-way contract for the 2021-22 season.
In their low-scoring victory against the Suns, Forrest was the heartbeat of the team's overall performance, finishing with ten points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He followed that up with another two steals as well as 16 points and nine assists. Both showings proved worthy of a contract with the Utah Jazz willing to overlook the improvements he still needs to make to his game this year.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Trent Forrest l Shooting Guard - Dakota Mathias l Small Forward - Elijah Hughes l Power Forward - Jarrell Brantley | Center - Udoka Azubuike.
Heat vs Jazz Match Prediction
Although the Utah Jazz have been effective in their own right and have limited their opponents on defense, the Miami Heat are playing free-flowing, effective offense and have NBA experience on their side.
Strus and Yurtseven have been two of the standout stars at this year's NBA Summer League and will expect to have big performances once again on Friday. We can expect a high-scoring matchup, but one that the Miami Heat should ultimately win.
Where to watch the Heat vs Jazz matchup
The game will be nationally televised in America on ESPNU and their streaming services. It will also be available to fans with a subscription to the NBA League Pass online.
