Well, the biggest news about this team hasn’t been about basketball but off-the-court drama. Jimmy Butler recently requested a trade, which has thrown this entire franchise into a tailspin. Following his public request for a trade, the team suspended Butler for seven games, weakening this downtrodden roster.
It doesn’t help that Bam hasn’t been close to the player he was in past seasons, as his game continues to slip. Tyler Herro is the only player on Miami who seems motivated to win games, aiming for an All-Star bid this year.
This team is in critical need of a refresh. Over the last few seasons, they’ve had too much talent drain, and the replacements haven’t gotten it done. It’s a sad end to a team that continually surprised us with their elite effort and teamwork. Now, it seems like Miami’s woes are going to continue.
Considering tonight's game, Miami doesn’t have the best matchup. The Kings haven’t been killers this year but desperately need wins. Taking on a Miami roster distracted by drama is the perfect opportunity to jump and steal a win.
The Heat will have a solid offensive matchup against the Kings, but the defensive end may be rough. Sabonis has been a stud again this year in the paint, and Bam’s defense has fallen off. Bam can still affect Sabonis to some degree, but without the burst he used to have, the size difference might matter much more. With Bam being undersized, Sabonis might be able to attack the paint all night.
The guards aren’t much better on the defensive end, as they’ll try to hold off Fox, DeRozan, and Monk. The scoring of Sacramento might be more than the Heat can match. They’ll need a massive game out of Herro to stay in this one and role players need to hit their threes.
I don’t think it will be enough, though. The Kings have the better offense; without Jimmy, the Miami defense doesn’t have enough to stop them. I think the Kings will run the Heat out of Sacramento tonight in a blowout win.
Sacramento has been through it this year, and it’s not even the halfway mark for the season. They’ve been stuck trying to figure out this rotation, but they’ve split down the Western standings. This resulted in the team letting go of Mike Brown, the head coach, but that still hasn’t righted the ship. They’ll need to find their flow soon if they have much chance of making the playoffs this year. With the possibility of Fox trade rumors popping up, too, this team is in a very precarious spot.
The new addition of DeRozan just hasn’t brought the success it felt it would. He’s been solid this year, with average decent shooting and still creating his shot, but it’s too many mouths to feed in the offense. The biggest victim of this has been Keegan Murray. He’s been relegated to the corner on offense, and his number has dropped significantly. He’s shooting a career low as he struggles to regain his role on this team.
Overall, these issues can still be overcome, and I believe in this roster. Especially in tonight's matchup, they should be able to punish a distracted and ailing Maimi. They will have total supremacy on offense. Unless the shooters on Sacramento can’t hit the broadside of a barn, they should be able to out pace this weakened Heat team.
Fox will likely be the main guy tonight, as the Miami backcourt isn’t precisely stout on defense. It should be a fun game for him and Monk, who will be able to attack downhill all night. Herro will struggle to say in front of them, and with how Bam has been playing, the rim might be wide open.
I think the Kings will take this game in a commanding fashion. They could run up the score and take this game in a stunning land slide. I am all in on the Kings tonight, and the points total over!
Kings Injuries:
De’Aaron Fox Questionable
Heat Injuries:
Haywood Highsmith Questionable
Josh Richardson Doubtful
Spread: MIA +3.5 (-105) / -3.5 SAC (-115)
Total Points: 220.5
Moneyline: MIA (+145) / SAC (-175)
De’Aaron Fox Over 24.5 Points (-105)
Domantas Sabonis 17+ Rebounds (+135)
Tyler Herro Over 5.5 Assists (-120)
Bam Adebayo Under 0.5 Blocks (+120)