Game #33: Sacramento Kings (10-21) vs. Miami Heat (25-7)

by David Dwork on Feb 21, 2012 12:40 AM EST

You know you have a good team when Chris Bosh is your third best player.

It seems like there are only two kinds of games that the Miami Heat are playing: marquee matchups and trap games. Tuesday night they'll get one of the latter as the 10-win Sacramento Kings come to South Florida for the teams' only meeting this season. Miami comes into this game playing their best ball of the season, having won six straight games and 14 of their last 16.

The Heat are being led by Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, both of whom are playing at an extremely high level. James was just named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, the fourth time this season he's won the award. He still sits second in the league in scoring, putting up 27.9 points per game, only trailing Kobe Bryant's 29.0.

Wade has been on fire, shooting over 50% from the field in ten straight games. He hasn't done that since his rookie season, when he did it in eleven straight. The Heat are following his lead, with the team shooting 49.2% during their six game winning streak. That's almost as impressive as the 39.3% shooting that their holding their opponents during that stretch.

Don't expect the Heat to look past this game and ahead to Thursday night's matchup with Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks, as they have been playing every game with the same amount of focus and intensity. Sacramento meanwhile has lost five straight games and won only 3 of 19 on the road. While Miami has held a lead of at least 20 points in six consecutive games, the Kings have only held a 20-point lead one time this entire season, and it lasted just 37 seconds.

GAME NOTES

Miami is 13-2 at home. Sacramento is just 3-16 on the road.
The Kings come in playing the 5^th game on a six game road trip. So far they are 0-4 on the trip.
The Heat have won 14 of their last 15 meeting against Sacramento.
During Miami's 6 game win streak, they have had at least two 20-point scorers in each.
The 3^rd quarter has belonged to LeBron James lately. He has scored in double figures in four straight 3^rd quarters, averaging 13.0 points during that span.
A bright spot on the Kings is center DeMarcus Cousins. He ranks 4^th in the league with 19 double doubles this season.
Heat center Dexter Pittman (shoulder) is probable.
As for Sacramento, they don't have any players listed on their injury report.

Tipoff from the AAA is set for 7:30. The game will be broadcast locally on Sun Sports and nationally on NBA TV, as fans voted the game as their choice for NBA Fan Night.

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Comments

Isiah Thomas had a monster game against the Cavs in their last game...

another sub .500 team fired up looking to knock off Miami. Handle your business Heat: attack the rim! rebound and get out and run. Feed D Wade within the first minute and beat the Kings!

"It seemed that Brandon's financial manager had speculated in some kind of futures and lost everything...Mary could not rid her mind of the word "speculate." It meant to guess, in terms of money to gamble. How could a man gamble a college?"

From the short story, In the Garden of North American Martyrs--Tobias Wolff

GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!

by mjtig on Feb 21, 2012 1:46 AM EST reply actions

Wade in the first half, LeBron in the third and the bench in the fourth.

Formula for success if I ever saw one. Heat shouldn’t take the Kings for granted though. They have one of the better players in the league at a position where our team is weakest. Tyreke shouldn’t be a problem for Wade, but I’d have Bosh body up on Cousins. Keep Cousins and Reke locked down on D and this one will be in the bag.

OH! Those are really cool! (OH! Those are really cool!)
I can't wait to see what kind of shoes Michael Beasley wears! (I can't wait to see what kind of shoes Michael Beasley wears!)
OH! I love Michael Beasley's hair! (I can't wait to see Michael Beasley play defense!)

by (o.O) on Feb 21, 2012 8:49 AM EST reply actions

Please focus on the task at hand.

finish the game tonight then study as much game tape you want against the Knicks.

2011 - Big 3
2012 - Big 5
2017 - 5 Big rings
#LeBron4MVP

by 1-THE H3ATLES-6 on Feb 21, 2012 8:49 AM EST reply actions

Every Night A Challenge For Heat

Each team the Heat face approach the game as if it were their biggest game of the year. It’s a position generally reserved for defending champions – truly the worst of both worlds (no rings but with all the pressure,) Only a title will do. Only James, Wade and Bosh kissing the trophy in June will suffice. I was sure it would happen in Year One. I was two games off. I won’t be wrong this year as Lebron and Wade are playing better together and the role players are better (healthier.) That said, the NBA landscape is still littered with quality land mines – Chicago, OKC, San Antonio and, yes, Dallas. Here we go!!!

1+3+6=how many rings???

by Dollar Man on Feb 21, 2012 11:27 AM EST reply actions 1 recs