Magic at Heat
The Miami Heat will likely have Dwyane Wade back in the lineup when they host the Orlando Magic on Saturday and attempt to stretch their winning streak to six games. Wade returned to practice Friday after missing consecutive games with knee soreness and proclaimed he will play against the Magic. “It’s still a process,” Wade said. “It’s still something I’m going to be working out and dealing with for a few months.”
The Heat trounced the Magic 120-92 in Orlando on Wednesday and the rematch could again be one-sided. Magic point guard Victor Oladipo scored 20 points in his first career start and craves another opportunity. “We know how they are going to play us and what it will look like,” Oladipo said. “For me, I know that helps a lot.” Orlando has lost five of its last six games and is beginning a stretch of five games in seven nights.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), Sun Sports (Miami)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (4-7): A bright spot for Orlando has been the play of Arron Afflalo, who is averaging 22.5 points and making 54.1 percent of his 3-point attempts. He scored 30 points and made seven 3-pointers against the Heat, two games after making eight 3-pointers in a career-best 36-point outing against Milwaukee. “I just think overall he’s in a good place right now on both ends of the floor,” Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. “He’s shooting the ball well for us and he’s being good at knowing where his shots are going to come from. He’s playing within our system and he’s keeping things real simple.”
ABOUT THE HEAT (9-3): Miami is winning by an average of 17.8 points during its streak and the starters are well-rested due to not playing in the fourth quarter of the last two games and the two off-days prior to the rematch. James Jones provided a boost in Wednesday’s game with 17 points and five 3-pointers while Michael Beasley came off the bench to score 14 points. Jones, who is averaging nine points, will move back to the bench if Wade indeed plays on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Miami has won the last six meetings.
2. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic set a franchise-record with 29 rebounds in a game against the Heat last season but grabbed just six boards in Wednesday’s game.
3. Heat F LeBron James has scored in double figures in 507 consecutive games, one shy of tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the fifth-longest streak in league history.