The Miami HEAT host the Detroit Pistons Saturday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Get your tickets now! The HEAT fell to the Pistons 107-98 in their last meeting on January 1. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM. Television coverage on FOX Sports Sun begins at 7:00 PM. You can also listen to the action live on 790 The Ticket.
1: What did you like about Miami's impressive victory in Chicago?
Couper Moorhead: There wasn't really any one thing that stood out about this win, which is perhaps why it was so convincing. While the Bulls are certainly going through their own down stretch of the season, which showed up particularly in their unforced turnovers and a particularly poor evening from Jimmy Butler (1-of-13 shooting), this game encapsulated so many of the things Miami has done well this year. They shut off the paint, ran out in transition off both turnovers and missed shots and behind the pair of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters they put a ton of pressure on the rim. Even with a number of players out, this was all-around goodness.
Joe Beguiristain: I liked that the HEAT imposed their will in the second half and never took their foot off the gas. In particular, Miami used a huge 21-5 run in the third quarter to take control of the game. Throughout the flurry, the HEAT picked up their defense and got out in transition for some easy buckets. Of course, Goran Dragic led the charge on that front and ended up with a team-high 26 points, 11 assists and three steals. Both he and Willie Reed were like poetry in motion, as the center made the most of his extended playing time with Hassan Whiteside out. Reed kept up his great activity around the rim and scored 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
Performances like Reed's are what this season has been all about. Regardless of who's been available, Miami has played hard and made no excuses. Thanks to that mindset, the HEAT have now won six straight for the first time since the 2013-2014 season.
2: How have the matchups with the Detroit Pistons played out so far this season?
Couper: While Miami is 0-2 against the Pistons so far this season, for analytical purposes we can effectively toss out the loss on New Year's Day given that both Dragic and Hassan Whiteside were out. For that matter, there aren't too many games this season that prove to be valuable predictors when it comes to Miami simply because the lineups have been so fluid week-to-week. But in both games Detroit has shown just how much talent is on its roster. Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond get most of the press, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a potent shooter and scorer and the Pistons have a ton of stretch-four options to put around Drummond.
Joe: The past two matchups with Detroit haven't gone too well for Miami, but a lot has changed since then. Like Coup stated above, both Dragic and Whiteside didn't play in that most recent meeting on January 1, and if you go back to the game on November 23, you'll notice that the HEAT's rotation is completely different now. In other words, there isn't much to take away from either matchup except that the Pistons are a very well-coached team. Because of that, Detroit has won three of four and is just two games back in the win column of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Not to mention, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is now back in the starting lineup after missing time with a shoulder injury. We'll see how the Pistons look after a four-day break between games.
3: What's the best way to deal with Andre Drummond?
Couper: With force. Drummond is incredibly tough to contain given his combination of strength and agility, but there have to be bodies in the paint on every pick-and-roll and every shot attempt. The one primary weakness in Drummond's game is that he's an inconsistent scorer in the post, so the more Miami can body him out of the paint and make his touches last as long as possible – no quick finishes on lobs or offensive rebounds – then the HEAT should be able to live with the results. And if they have to overcommit to the paint and force Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith to find the open shooter, that can be a viable option as long as the help isn't predictable.
Joe: You have to make Drummond's touches come from as far out of the paint as possible. Now, with how effective both he and Reggie Jackson are at running the pick-and-roll, that is easier said than done. However, Miami has played exceptionally well on the defensive end over its six-game winning streak (98.4 defensive rating) and Reed has improved greatly in that area. Additionally, Okaro White has shown the innate ability to rotate before the ball even gets to the man he's switched on to.
At the end of the day though, it'll take a collective effort from the HEAT to stop such a skilled rebounder in Drummond. Much like Whiteside, the big fella gives his team a bunch of second-chance opportunities due to his presence on the offensive glass. As such, Miami will need to keep a body on him at all times if it wants to come away with the win.
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