Magic at Heat
The Miami Heat will try to recover from a rocky road trip when they begin three straight on South Beach against the visiting Orlando Magic on Monday. After opening a four-game trip with a win at Dallas, the Heat dropped three in a row by a total of 12 points, the latest a 111-107 setback at Detroit on Saturday.
That capped a stretch in which Miami played 11 of 14 on the road and its reward is 10 of the next 14 at home. "We've had some of these where we've won and done it our way," coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters in Detroit. "We've had others done their way. It's a painful lesson. We've got to keep on grinding. We know what the road map is." The Magic followed up an impressive 127-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers with a 115-98 loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday to wrap up a 1-1 homestand. "We just got our butts kicked for four quarters," coach Frank Vogel told the media Saturday. "We had a poor defensive effort throughout. First unit, second unit, we just didn't have the necessary energy to compete and get a win."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), FS Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (15-36): Leading scorer Aaron Gordon (hip), who is scheduled to compete in the Slam Dunk contest during All-Star Weekend, has missed three straight games. Evan Fournier followed up a 19-point effort against the Lakers in which he made 5-of-7 3-pointers by hitting 1-of-6 versus Washington en route to 11 points. Gordon had 39 points in the last meeting with Miami - a 117-111 victory for the Heat - and Fournier averages 20 points on 52.3 percent shooting in three matchups between the in-state rivals this season.
ABOUT THE HEAT (29-24): Center Hassan Whiteside missed the loss in Detroit after leaving the previous game due to an illness, and All-Star guard Goran Dragic did his best to fill some of the void. After four straight games in which he struggled from the floor and a lackluster first half against the Pistons, Dragic erupted for 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the third quarter and finished with a season-high 33. "I was struggling in the beginning of the game," Dragic said, according to the Sun Sentinel. "I was 1 for 7 or something. I just tried to talk to myself, tried to get over that hump. I had a couple of good plays and my confidence went up, seeing the ball go in."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Heat SF Justise Winslow is shooting 36.5 percent in 16 starts this season after going 0-for-6 from the floor against Detroit.
2. Magic SG Mario Hezonja is 10-for-14 from 3-point range over the last three games.
3. Miami PF James Johnson recorded 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting at Detroit after being held to 10 points or fewer in six straight contests.