Suns at Heat
Goran Dragic could get his first crack at his former team when the Miami Heat host the Phoenix Suns on Monday. Dragic all but demanded a trade after seeing his role change with the offseason addition of Isaiah Thomas, and the Suns obliged by sending him to Miami last month and acquiring Brandon Knight from Milwaukee to take over the point guard role. The roster shakeup hasn't helped the Suns yet — they've lost nine of their last 12 to slip to 10th in the Western Conference.
Miami has lost two straight two-point contests but is clinging to seventh place in the Eastern Conference, though four pursuers are within a game. "We're fighters," Miami guard Dwyane Wade told reporters after a 93-91 home loss to Atlanta on Saturday. "We still don't all know each other, but we're out there fighting for this thing." The Heat have won nine straight meetings, including a 103-97 victory in Phoenix on Dec. 9, and are trying to complete the season sweep.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), Sun Sports (Miami)
ABOUT THE SUNS (31-29): Phoenix is only two games behind eighth-place Oklahoma City, but it didn't look much like a playoff contender in Saturday's 101-74 home loss to San Antonio. The Suns couldn't recover from a franchise-low 24 points in the first half, which resulted in a 27-point halftime deficit. The poor offensive showing was uncharacteristic for a team that ranks near the top of the league in scoring (105.8 points per game) and boasts a dynamic backcourt in Knight (17.4 points, 5.3 assists) and Eric Bledsoe (17.2 points, six assists).
ABOUT THE HEAT (25-33): Miami is coming off a 93-91 home loss to Atlanta on Saturday in which the Hawks rested three starters and a key reserve and still turned 23 Heat turnovers into 31 points. Of course, the Heat are hardly at full strength with star big man Chris Bosh (blood clot) and forward Josh McRoberts (knee) gone for the season and Dragic (back spasms) and forward Chris Andersen (illness) questionable against the Suns. The litany of injuries and illnesses leave the Heat thin up front despite the emergence of center Hassan Whiteside (10.6 points, 9.6 rebounds), who has recorded 10 doubles-doubles in his last 14 games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Knight has averaged 13.6 points and four assists in his first five games with Phoenix but is questionable against Miami with a hip pointer.
2. Bledsoe has averaged 18.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists over his last five games.
3. Dragic needs three 3-point field goals and three steals to reach 500 of each in his career.