New Orleans @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 16, 2018 ) Miami 102, New Orleans 96

The Miami Heat continue to look like a contender in the Eastern Conference and are turning things up on the defensive end to go with a balanced offensive attack. The Heat will try to stifle another opponent and run their latest winning streak to three in a row when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

Miami power forward Bam Adebayo is getting a chance to prove he is capable of anchoring the defense in the middle with former center Hassan Whiteside off to Portland and he posted his sixth double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds in Thursday's 108-97 win at Cleveland. "He gives us a versatility that's unique," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters of Adebayo. "Now we're a little bit bigger with our front line because he can slide over and play a lot of perimeter players, stretch fours, he can play bigger fours. "Whatever we face, we feel that he has the versatility that we can match that." Adebayo and Miami will face a Pelicans team that averages 118.4 points and is coming off a 132-127 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers. New Orleans center Derrick Favors collected 20 points and 20 rebounds in the win and will likely be matched up against Adebayo on Saturday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (3-8): Guard Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 36 points on 13-of-24 shooting, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, and added seven assists and six steals to a strong all-around performance on Thursday. "That's Holiday season right there," guard Frank Jackson told reporters. "That guy is special. A lot of guys were knocking him, but he's one of the hardest-working dudes I know. I wouldn't want to go to war with anybody else. That's my big bro - I've learned so much from him. To see him go off like that is normal for me. That's what he does." Holiday was a combined 0-of-12 from 3-point range over the previous two games and was held below 20 points in each of his first eight contests.

ABOUT THE HEAT (8-3): Miami totaled 34 assists in a 117-108 win over Detroit on Tuesday and handed out 31 on 43 made field goals in Thursday's victory. "They want to share the ball," Spoelstra told reporters of his players. "They want to see somebody else have some success. That's a unique quality and they're willing to make plays for each other or if the play isn't for their moment, they'll allow somebody else to play and understand that it's a long game." Rookie guard Kendrick Nunn led the team with a season high eight assists against Cleveland.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pelicans SF Brandon Ingram (knee) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.

2. Heat SF Justise Winslow (concussion) sat out the last four contests and is questionable for Saturday.

3. Miami took the two meetings last season by an average of 5.5 points.

PREDICTION: Heat 106, Pelicans 100