The Miami Heat are one of the best teams in the league when everyone is healthy and one the court, but they struggle heavily when a star is injured. That has been the case lately as they are 3-7 in their past 10 games with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade limited with issues. Both players are uncertain for the next set of games which starts with a road trip Ito face the Brooklyn Nets who have won two straight.
The Heat are coming off a blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls, falling 93-75 without Bosh on the court. They were outscored 58-30 in the second and third quarters and have dropped to 2-6 in the month of December. Things will not get any easier. Bosh is out with a strained left calf and did not make the trip to Brooklyn. He is currently averaging team highs with 21.6 points per game and 8.2 rebounds. Wade might also be out due to sickness. He is averaging 21.1 points per game. The injuries keep piling up as Josh McRoberts as a torn meniscus and Justin Hamilton has a quad injury.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn broke a three-game losing streak with a two-game win streak. They lost to the Heat in the first meeting this year, falling 95-83 while Mario Chalmers put up 22 points as Wade and Luol Deng sat out. Now Deng is healthy, but Wade could still be sitting. The Nets are coming off wins to the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets where Joe Johnson continues to lead the team with 22 points while seven players got into double figures against the Hornets.
The issue for the Nets is consistency. Johnson thrives on the road with 19.1 points per game while getting just 9.8 points at home on 34.8 shooting percentage. Meanwhile, Deron Williams has put up just 24 poitns combine in the past three games. They need better production across the board if the Nets are going to make a run this season.
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