Miami @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 11, 2019 ) Miami 87, Denver 103

The Miami Heat are clicking and are fresh off one of the top opening quarters in NBA history. Miami looks for another strong start on Tuesday when it visits the Denver Nuggets in the opener of a three-game road trip.

The Heat sprinted to a 46-14 first-quarter lead - the 32-point margin is the third largest in the shot-clock era - en route to a 129-100 home romp over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. "Surprising? Not surprising to me," forward Meyers Leonard told reporters afterward. "Don't get it twisted. The Houston Rockets are incredibly talented. But we came in with a game plan and a mindset that we were going to take away what they're good at, be disciplined and execute. That's what we did." Denver is still attempting to find an offensive rhythm and shot just 37 percent from the field in Saturday's 91-87 road win over the Orlando Magic. "It's the little stuff that's going to help us be successful on offense," point guard Jamal Murray told reporters. "We all know we can shoot, we're struggling with shots right now, but all that will change sometime."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), Altitude 2 (Denver)

ABOUT THE HEAT (5-1): Rookie Duncan Robinson established season highs of 23 points and seven 3-pointers and Leonard scored a season-best 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting in the easy triumph over Houston that allowed Miami to match the franchise mark for best six-game start. The Heat also racked up 38 assists - tying for second most in franchise history - as star forward Jimmy Butler had nine to raise his total to 20 over the past two games. Butler scored 18 points and had four steals, giving him 13 thefts in three games.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (4-2): Star center Nikola Jokic scored 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting against Orlando after averaging just 10.7 over the previous three games and coach Michael Malone wants his big man to take more shots. "For us to be at our best we need him to take at least 15 shots a night," Malone said in reference to Jokic taking just 14 total shots in back-to-back losses prior to the win over the Magic. "That's a challenge for him the way teams guard him. Nobody's ever going to accuse Nikola Jokic of being a selfish player, but I need him to come out and set the tone early, be more aggressive and look to score. Now that's going to open things up for everybody else." Murray scored 22 against Orlando for his second 20-point outing of the season and he is averaging a team-best 18.5 points with Jokic next at 15.8.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Nuggets went 2-0 against the Heat last season and have won four of the past five meetings.

2. Miami F Justise Winslow (back) is questionable after sitting out the past two games.

3. Denver swingman Will Barton (toe) could miss his third consecutive game.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 105, Heat 101