Hawks at Heat
THE STORY: The Miami Heat got back to dominating the competition on Tuesday night, posting a 30-point win over the New Jersey Nets. Unfortunately, Dwyane Wade wasn't around to see the end of it. Wade, who has already missed nine games, turned his right ankle in the first half on Tuesday and did not return. A sprained right ankle cost him six games previously, though initial reports suggested that this injury is not as severe. The Heat hope to have him in the lineup Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks, who have won three straight.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SSO (Atlanta), SUN (Miami), NBA TV
ABOUT THE HAWKS (23-15): Atlanta has found the offense to go along with its defense over the last three games, averaging 99 points as Josh Smith has taken on a bigger role. The versatile forward is averaging 27 points in the three wins and has recorded a double-double in four of the last five games. The Hawks handed Miami its first loss of the season, 100-92, back on Jan. 2 but has lost in two subsequent meeting, falling in overtime, 116-109, on Jan. 5, and getting crushed, 107-87, on Feb. 12. Smith was held to eight points on 4-of-12 shooting in the previous meeting and Joe Johnson was the only starter in double figures with 12 points.
ABOUT THE HEAT (29-9): Miami suggested that Wade could have returned in the second half on Tuesday if needed, but LeBron James and company did just fine in his absence with a 108-78 triumph. The Heat had won nine straight games - each by 12 points or more - before stumbling over the weekend in road losses at Utah and the Los Angeles Lakers. But Miami, which is 15-2 at home, had no such trouble in its return to AmericanAirlines Arena, shooting 58.4 percent. Chris Bosh, who had missed the previous three games due to a death in the family, returned to the lineup against the Nets.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The road team has won each of the last six meetings in the series.
2. James missed one game against the Hawks but averaged 25.5 points and 10 rebounds in the other two.
3. Johnson (knee) is day-to-day for Atlanta.