Heat at Suns
The Phoenix Suns have lost four out of five this season when playing the second of back-to-back games and they’ll face an exceptionally tough challenge Tuesday night against the visiting Miami Heat. The Suns lost Monday night at the Los Angeles Clippers on a rim-rattling 3-pointer by Blake Griffin at the overtime buzzer. They had led by four with 34 seconds left in overtime when the game unraveled.
At least Phoenix won’t have to worry about facing LeBron James, who combined for 72 points in the two games against the Suns last season but now stars for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat also arrive at a bad time, having lost four straight while allowing those opponents to shoot 55.9 percent from the floor, including 53.4 from 3-point range. Heat point guard Dwyane Wade has scored at least 20 points in the five games since returning from a seven-game absence due to a hamstring injury and has hit that mark in nine straight games overall.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), Sun Sports (Miami)
ABOUT THE HEAT (9-11): Chris Bosh is coming off his second-poorest performance of the season, scoring 12 points and collecting two rebounds in a 103-87 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. Those numbers are well off his 21.3 and 8.4 averages. Bosh struggled in his first matchup against Phoenix center Miles Plumlee last season, but came back with 21 points and eight rebounds in the second.
ABOUT THE SUNS (12-10): Eric Bledsoe should be feeling good, emotionally anyway, after recording his first career triple-double against the Clippers. He also should be fired up to go against Wade as well after missing both games against the Heat last season with injuries. He hasn’t played Miami since February 2013, when he was still a backup guard for the Clippers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Suns have lost two in a row for the fourth time this season but have yet to lose three straight.
2. Suns G Isaiah Thomas has missed the last eight games with an ankle injury but reportedly is close to returning.
3. Miami C Chris Andersen has missed the last six games with an ankle injury but recently has resumed working out.
PREDICTION: Heat 98, Suns 96