Published on: Jan 28, 2022 6:37 pm IST|Updated on: Jan 28, 2022 6:38 pm IST
MIA vs LAC Dream11: NBA midseason window has been challenging for some teams while others have figured out their combinations, chemistry, and have picked up the game. Then there are some teams who keep on winning, not caring what window is going on. Then if you take into account that the trade deadline is a mere couple of weeks away, there is a lingering sense of different management engaging in intense exchanges.
Anyway, let us talk about the game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers. Heat has been having a terrific season, so much so that they have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. The team depth and the team chemistry both have enabled the Heat to achieve the current breakthroughs.
On the other hand, they play the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers have been just hanging on to the 50% win mark but their play has been inspirational considering they have been playing without two of their top scorers. The makeshift unit has done well and has been making a lot of noise, really, forget their record, this team is special in its own right. Host: Miami Heat Visitors: LA Clippers Match Timing: 29 January, @ 06:30 AM Venue: FTX Arena
Heat: The top of the table run Miami has been the deepest team in the Eastern Conference this season. Compared to last season, not only do they have a stronger bench but the way Erik Spoelstra has managed his rotations has been admirable. Heat has been conducting the current run with Butler and Adebayo right now, but we have to go back to early January and December to study the team’s growth. The squad won around 60% of the games even without Adebayo and Butler. Lowry who has been absent for some time has had a huge impact on the team too.
The Heat team has found so many scorers this season that they keep on ticking if one or two players are struggling majorly. Before the offensive side, the Heat has some terrific defenders in Robinson, who can seal the perimeter, Adebayo, Tucker, and Butler, form one of the best defensive frontcourts with all of them capable of defending all sides of the floor. Butler and Adebayo are two all-around threats, Robinson has been pinning his jumpers, right now in the midseason form. Herro can start for most teams in the league and brings a microwave type of scoring off the bench. Strus has done his job well shooting-wise. Vincent has slated beautifully in the starting role with Lowry out and overall, the Heat keeps finding production from a different cast of characters.
Clippers: I respect this squad a lot Most NBA fans measure a team’s success in whether they win a championship, which means that 29 teams who have not won the championship during a window can’t be successful. (I don’t have a survey, just online observations here) I disagree with this take, you need a lot to go right in such a long season to acquire a championship and for me, that is not the measure alone for me, even though I acknowledge that it is the biggest achievement at the end the day. Anyway, after I have set the premise, let me say something… This Clippers team deserves a ton of credit.
Just this month, they have won after being down by 25 and 35. That is a huge achievement especially for a team that is running thin all season long. Surely, the experience of the squad keeps helping them as having three of your top options sidelined due to injury can often mean that you will lose most of the games. The fact that this team has hung on to a 50% win record is really admirable. It is not just Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, or Ivica Zubac. Coffey, Mann, Bledsoe, Kennard, and Boston Jr. have all done when awarded minutes. Really, in the NBA, you never know even if the 12-th man in the roster can cook up a huge night! There is a reason why any player makes it to the NBA after all. LA Clippers | Miami Heat Games: 50| 48 Wins: 25| 31 Defeats: 25| 17
Miami Team News
Heat Expected Starting Five Wings/Forwards: SF: Jimmy Butler(QUESTIONABLE) | PF: PJ Tucker Middle: C: Bam Adebayo Guards: SG: Duncan Robinson | PG: Gabe Vincent
Miami Heat Bench: Max Strus, Tyler Herro, Omer Yurtseven, DeWayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem, Marcus Garrett, Kyle Guy.
Los Angeles Clippers Team News:
Clippers Expected Starting Five Forward: PF: Nicolas Batum Middle: C: Ivica Zubac Guards: SG: Amir Coffey | SG: Terance Mann| PG: Reggie Jackson
BENCH: Eric Bledsoe, Luke Kennard, Justise Winslow, Isaiah Hartenstein, Serge Ibaka, Jay Scrubb, Moses Wright, Keon Johnson, Brandon Boston Jr.
Reggie Jackson (LAC) Points: 09 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 00 Reggie has been a dynamic scorer for the Clippers and despite scoring below 10 points in the last two games, the guard has been productive for most of the season. A 16-19 points range is the usual norm but yes, he has scored 26 or more in two of the last five games. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 20-36
Jimmy Butler(MIA) Points: 22 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 05 Steals: 02 The wing has been doing well ever since his return from injury and his all-around abilities help out his team a lot. Butler has been in the 19-25 points, 6-10 rebounds, 5-8 assists, and 1-2 steals range during most contests. He is QUESTIONABLE for the game. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 30-42
Amir Coffey(LAC) Points: 19 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 05 Steals: 01 Amir is an off-guard who has shown some great results as the starter. The guard can be off during some nights, being in the 1-10, 11-20, 21-30 range. I expect a 13-19 points range here. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 18-31
Bam Adebayo(MIA) Points: 06 Rebounds: 08 Assists: 11 Steals: 02 Blocks: 01 Adebayo is one of the most enticing Centers in the league and his impact can’t be measured in stats alone(so is with many players actually). The Center has scored 14 or more in four of the last five games, grabbing 6+ rebounds and 4 or more assists, 1+ steal/block a game regularly. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 38-49
Ivica Zubac(LAC) Points: 08 Rebounds: 07 Assists: 02 Steals: 01 Ivica has been a stable option in the middle for the Clippers and even though he is not among elite Centers, he is more than a decent rebounder and decent inside scorer. The big has usually figured in the 7-10 points and 7-10 rebounds a game. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 19-29
Tyler Herro(MIA) Points: 21 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 04 Tyler has done a terrific job as a bench player at the guard position and is a contender for the Sixth-Player-of-the-Year award. The Guard has usually scored in the 20-26 points range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 30-38
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