After dropping two of the first three games this season, the Miami Heat have recaptured the form that propelled them to consecutive NBA championships. The Heat (7-3) won their opener in convincing fashion against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls but after dropping the next two contests to the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, fans of the sport were wondering when and if Miami would be able to control the tempo of each game like they had done in the past. Following the 101-100 loss to the Nets, the Heat grabbed three wins in a row before falling 111-110 to the young Boston Celtics. The minor bump in the road didn't carry over however, as Miami is once again riding a three-game win streak as they enter the upcoming game against a talented Atlanta Hawks team.
A four-time league MVP, LeBron James has been unstoppable during Miami's three game unbeaten streak. Averaging 34 points per game while shooting an unbelievable 70.2 percent from the field, 'The King' remains the top player in the league because of his tremendous ability to dominate on both ends of the floor. Knocking down 13-of-18 shots in Miami's 97-81 victory over Charlotte last weekend, James' head coach says that his offensive input is surely appreciated but the energy he brings on a game-by-game basis is unrivaled.
"More than anything, it was his energy," Erik Spoelstra said regarding James' performance against Charlotte. "When you see him attacking off the glass and pushing coast to coast, you know he feels good with his body and you know it sets a great tone for our team. He's playing with great energy on both ends of the court."
Atlanta will enter AmericanAirlines Arena with an overall record of 6-4 and thanks to a recent drubbing of the struggling New York Knicks, the Hawks are soaring with confidence heading into the upcoming tilt against a Miami team that has beaten them eight straight times. One of the reasons Atlanta is winning games is because of the production they're receiving from the bench. Mike Scott, Shelvin Mack and Gustavo Ayon were crucial parts to the 110-90 win over New York, and starting forward Paul Millsap knows the team will need that kind of production the rest of the way if they're to be competitive.
"Man, those guys stepped up real big for us tonight," Millsap said after the aforementioned trio combined for 33 points on 14-of-24 shooting. "They did a great job coming off and sparking that energy for us. They came in, executed well, played great defense. Goose (Ayon) was on the glass. Going forward, that's what we're going to need. We're going to need a bench to compete in this league."
The task of upending Miami on their home floor won't be easy, but the Hawks - 3-3 on the road this season - could finally end their struggles against the Heat if their strong play from New York carries over.
Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks: DATE, TIME & TV INFO
DATE: Tuesday, November 19
TIME: 7:30pm, ET
TV COVERAGE: TSOH (Atlanta Area) / SUN (Miami Area)
LIVE STREAM: CLICK HERE or CLICK HERE
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