Utah Jazz vs Miami Heat Prediction & Match Preview - November 6th, 2021

The Utah Jazz and Miami Heat, who are coming off contrasting results, will face off in a titanic battle at the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida, on Saturday.

Quin Snyder’s team continues to roll on in dazzling form after just annihilating another strong team in the Atlanta Hawks. Even without Donovan Mitchell, who was a late and surprise scratch from the game, the Utah Jazz were unrelenting.

The second half was where they completely pummeled the Hawks into submission, outscoring them 77-58 to put the game away. Utah will have to maintain the same kind of impeccable display to ward off a likely furious Miami squad who were destroyed by the Boston Celtics.

After smashing opponents in their last few games with an unforgiving defense, the Miami Heat got a dose of their own medicine at the hands of the surging Celtics. The Heat shot a miserable 22% from deep and 34.6% overall, which is their worst performance this season.

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The Miami Heat could also be without Kyle Lowry against the Utah Jazz as he sprained his ankle in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics. If the former All-Star does not suit up for the Heat, they will have a much tougher time against the dominant Jazz.

Match Details

Fixture: Utah Jazz vs Miami Heat | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Saturday, November 6th; 7:30 PM ET (Sunday, November 7th; 5:00 AM IST)

Venue: FTX Arena, Miami, FL

Utah Jazz Preview

The Utah Jazz train just chugs along, dismantling opponents on their way to an NBA-best 7-1 record. In their lone loss this season against the Chicago Bulls, they were quite good, except that they could not make the most critical shots.

One thing opponents might note when playing the Utah Jazz in the coming games is Jordan Clarkson’s emergence out of a shooting slump. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year awardee has been shooting bricks in the early part of the season. If he rediscovers his shooting touch the way he did against the Atlanta Hawks, where he dropped 30 points, the league will really be in trouble.

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Donovan Mitchell was given rest as a precaution and should be ready against the Miami Heat on Saturday. Mitchell’s influence on both ends of the floor is evident in his +/- rating of +86, which tops the NBA. He will be the center of the attention for the Miami Heat defense.

Key Player - Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell's improved defense for the Utah Jazz will be critical against the Miami Heat

The Utah Jazz were spared their blushes when Jordan Clarkson came out of nowhere to shoot down the Atlanta Hawks.

Donovan Mitchell, though, is the Jazz’s resident gunner. Although his three-point shooting and overall field-goal percentage are career-lows, he is slowly getting back into form. His team-leading 24.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists speak volumes of his importance to the team.

Mitchell has always had the physical tools and ability to be a really solid defender. That has not been the case in the last few years. This season, he has markedly improved on that side of the ball. From 110.3 Defensive Rating last campaign, it is now at an outstanding 101.6. This is a version of the two-time All-Star that the Utah Jazz have been waiting for.

Rudy Gobert is the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week, but Mitchell is the one who will lead the Utah Jazz in every game.

Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup

G - Mike Conley | G - Donovan Mitchell | F - Bojan Bogdanovic | F - Royce O’Neal | C - Rudy Gobert

Miami Heat Preview

A one-game thrashing against the Boston Celtics will certainly not define the Miami Heat. The Cs should be given huge credit for suffocating Erik Spoelstra’s team, but the Heat could also just not buy a bucket with open shots. This is a very resilient team that will be raring to bounce back after such a humbling defeat.

The 6-2 Miami Heat are virtually neck-and-neck with the 7-1 Utah Jazz in the most important statistical categories, except for the pace of the game. Miami’s pace is even more likely to get worse without Kyle Lowry, who could be out with a sprained ankle.

Lowry pushes the pace of the team in every instance, which adds pressure to the opponents’ defense. How they pace the game without their starting point guard could be crucial against the Jazz.

Key Player - Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler was on a tear before the Boston Celtics game. He is the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week for a reason.

Butler has been so good for the Miami Heat in the early part of the season that MVP noise is already starting to resonate.

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His averages of 25 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 steals are all career-highs. The efficiency of his field-goal attempts is also at its best this season. 52.7% eFG and 62.2% TS are the most efficient in his career.

Miami Heat Predicted Lineup

G - Tyler Herro | G - Duncan Robinson | F - Jimmy Butler | F - P.J. Tucker | C - Bam Adebayo

Jazz vs Heat Match Prediction

Based on the stats, the game between the Utah Jazz and the Miami Heat could be decided by breaks in the game and someone who could have an off-night. This will be a dogged fight that could see lead changes throughout the game. It would not be a surprise if the outcome is not settled in regular time.

The absence or presence of Kyle Lowry could swing the decision between the Utah Jazz and the Miami Heat. Lowry has been making so many plays for the Heat, but they just do not show up on the score sheet. Before he was taken out of the game against the Heat, he had already piled up 6 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

If Kyle Lowry does not play, the Utah Jazz should get past the Miami Heat. If Lowry recovers and plays his usual game, the Heat, after a lopsided loss on their home floor, could win with a vengeance.

Where to watch the Jazz vs Heat game

AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain and Bally Sports Sun will cover the matchup between the Utah Jazz and the Miami Heat live. The NBA League Pass will also stream the game live. On-air commentaries of the game can be heard via WAXY, WAQIKZNS and KTUB.

Also Check Out: Complete NBA TV Schedule for 2021-22 Season