Heat at Jazz
The Miami Heat look to defeat Utah for the fifth consecutive time when they visit the Jazz on Wednesday. Miami is 2-1 at the midway point of a six-game road trip after falling 108-105 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
The Heat won the first two games of their excursion by an average of 20 points before losing to the Lakers in the expected final battle between former Miami teammates Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Wade had 15 points and a season-best 10 assists in the contest but was 6-of-19 shooting and missed a late tying 3-point attempt while being defended by James. The Jazz dropped consecutive road games to the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder and trailed by as many as 29 against the Thunder on Monday before closing the losing margin to 122-113. "When you put yourself behind the 8-ball, you have to be lucky or perfect to get back in the game and win," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "We didn't play well enough to deserve that. We were competing, but we didn't execute. That's what it comes down to."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), AT&T SportsNet (Utah)
ABOUT THE HEAT (11-15): Forward Justise Winslow established career bests of 28 points and six 3-pointers in the loss to the Lakers and scored at least 20 points in three straight games. Winslow is averaging 23 points during the hot stretch and his ability impresses Wade. "The kid is playing amazing basketball. His confidence is where it needs to be," Wade told reporters of Winslow. "You love to see it, he's a great kid. I told him, 'Don't take all my moves while I'm still here. Wait until I leave.' He's a student of the game and you can see it when he plays, he's really figuring out his game and figuring out what he needs to do for this team."
ABOUT THE JAZZ (13-15): Utah was sloppy with the basketball in the loss to Oklahoma City by committing 20 turnovers, 19 of them in the first three quarters. "You can't turn the ball over," shooting guard Donovan Mitchell told reporters. "I had six of my own, the most on the team, but you've got to be strong with the ball. We've got to execute -- we just kind of gave it to them." Mitchell scored 19 points against the Thunder and is just 17-of-45 shooting over the last three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Heat defeated the Jazz 102-100 in Miami on Dec. 2.
2. Utah C Rudy Gobert recorded 13 points and 14 rebounds against the Thunder for his 23rd double-double of the season.
3. Miami C Hassan Whiteside (birth of child) will likely miss his fourth straight game.