The Miami Heat return home from a four-game road trip with the best record in the Eastern Conference, and they'll try to improve upon that mark when they host the woeful Charlotte Bobcats to begin a five-game homestand Monday night. It's the second of four meetings this season. Miami won the first contest 105-92 on Dec. 26 in Charlotte and has won eight straight meetings with the Bobcats.
The Bobcats have lost three straight to begin their five-game road trip. They've dropped six of seven and 30 of 34 and are tied with Washington for the worst record in the league. Adding to the bad news, Charlotte will be without rookie forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who suffered a concussion in Saturday's 109-95 loss at Houston.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Charlotte), Sun Sports Miami
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (11-35): Charlotte hasn't had much to get excited about, ranking 28th in the league in offensive efficiency and 29th in defensive efficiency, but second-year guard Kemba Walker (18 points, 5.7 assists) had provided a bright spot. Walker has scored in double figures in 17 consecutive games, the longest streak of his career and the longest by a Bobcats player since Stephen Jackson's 27-game run in 2010-11. The Bobcats also have a nice duo coming off the bench in Ramon Sessions (14.9 points) and Ben Gordon (13.2 points), but their frontcourt is lacking, especially with Kidd-Gilchrist and power forward Byron Mullens (sprained left ankle) sidelined.
ABOUT THE HEAT (30-14): Miami has been beatable on the road, but it is awfully tough at home, holding an 18-3 mark on its own floor and having won three straight and eight of nine at home. LeBron James (26.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7 assists) leads the Heat along with fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade (20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists) and Chris Bosh (17.3 points, 7.2 rebounds). James is 35 points shy of his 5,000th point with the Heat. He has scored in double figures in 463 consecutive games, including all 185 he has played for the Heat.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars in Houston in two weeks by virtue of the Heat holding the best record in the conference through Sunday.
2. Charlotte is 4-27 when allowing 100 points or more.
3. Miami is 24-2 when scoring 100 points or more.