Miami takes home win streak into matchup with Orlando

Posted December 25, 2021 6:00 am

By The Associated Press

Orlando Magic (7-26, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (20-13, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Miami will try to keep its four-game home win streak intact when the Heat face Orlando.

The Heat are 4-1 against the rest of their division. Miami scores 107.5 points and has outscored opponents by 3.8 points per game.

The Magic are 1-7 against the rest of their division. Orlando allows 110.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 9.3 points per game.

The two teams play for the third time this season. The Heat defeated the Magic 115-105 in their last meeting on Dec. 18. Max Strus led the Heat with 32 points, and Franz Wagner led the Magic with 27 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dewayne Dedmon is averaging 6.5 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Heat. Strus is averaging 3.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Miami.

Cole Anthony is shooting 35.4% from beyond the arc with 2.7 made 3-pointers per game for the Magic, while averaging 20 points, six rebounds and 5.8 assists. Wagner is averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists over the past 10 games for Orlando.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 6-4, averaging 106.3 points, 43.1 rebounds, 27.6 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.9 points per game.

Magic: 2-8, averaging 105.1 points, 43.4 rebounds, 22.3 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Victor Oladipo: out (right knee), Dewayne Dedmon: out (knee), Markieff Morris: out (neck), P.J. Tucker: day to day (leg), Jimmy Butler: day to day (tailbone), Bam Adebayo: out (thumb).

Magic: Jalen Suggs: out (thumb), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee), E'Twaun Moore: out (knee), Michael Carter-Williams: out (left ankle), Moritz Wagner: out (health and safety protocols), Mychal Mulder: out (health and safety protocols), Ignas Brazdeikis: out (health and safety protocols), R.J. Hampton: out (health and safety protocols), Terrence Ross: out (health and safety protocols), Markelle Fultz: out (knee), Mo Bamba: out (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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