Nets at Heat
The Miami Heat look for a season sweep when the Brooklyn Nets visit Wednesday. The Heat, however, will be without center Hassan Whiteside, who was suspended for the game after receiving a flagrant-2 foul for shoving Boston's Kelly Olynk in the back in Monday's loss. The 7-footer has been a revelation, averaging 14.3 points and 13.6 rebounds in his last 17 games, but he has been ejected in two of his last four games and was benched in a third after a verbal exchange with coach Erik Spoelstra.
"He's going to have to learn," an irritated Dwyane Wade told reporters after the game. "He's going to learn the hard way. Hopefully he changes his mentality quick." Brooklyn also is learning the hard way after going 1-4 on a homestand that started with a win against the Golden state Warriors. The Nets, sitting in 11th place in the East three games back of Charlotte for eighth and 2 1/2 back of Miami for ninth, now play four straight on the road.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), Sun Sports (Miami)
ABOUT THE NETS (25-37): Brooklyn appeared to have righted the ship by winning four of its first six games after the All-Star break, but has dropped four straight since. Brook Lopez scored 10 of his 15 points early as New Jersey jumped to a 25-11 lead before getting blown out 111-91 by New Orleans on Tuesday. "Every game at this point is a big game," guard Deron Williams told reporters. "The teams in front of us are not showing any signs of slowing down. We got some ground to gain and got to play better than we are if we want a chance to win."
ABOUT THE HEAT (28-35): Wade scored 34 points in the 100-90 loss to Boston and has tallied 87 points on 30-of-58 shooting from the field and 24-of-26 from the line in the last three games. Michael Beasley, who just signed a second 10-day contract, scored 14 against Boston and is averaging 11 points and 3.9 rebounds in 24.9 minutes during seven games. “He’s been terrific with his approach, his work and he’s produced,” Spoelstra said of Beasley. “This has been a season of a lot of moving parts, but we have a lot of sweat equity and a lot of time invested in Michael over the years." The Heat hope point guard Goran Dragic, who has missed the last two games with back spasms, can suit up against the Nets.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. After being swept by the Nets last season, the Heat have won the first three games this season, and Wade has averaged 26.5 points and 5.5 assists in the two games he has played.
2. The Nets lost F Alan Anderson (tailbone), G Markel Brown (ankle), and G Sergey Karasev (knee) during the loss to the Pelicans.
3. Williams has shot 10-of-40 from the field for 37 points during the four-game skid but has averaged 14 points, 8.7 assists and 2.3 steals against the Heat this season.