Miami @ Indiana preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 27, 2019 ) Indiana 112, Miami 113

The Miami Heat look like one of the top teams in the league in front of their own fans but struggle away from the warmth of South Beach. The Heat will try to change their fortunes on the road when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday in the opener of a three-game trip.

Miami is an NBA-best 17-1 at home but is 9-9 on the road and traded wins and losses over the last four games, with the two losses coming by an average of 19 points at sub-.500 divisional opponents Washington and Orlando. "We all understood that we just did not compete at a high level in Orlando," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the Heat rebounded from the 105-85 loss at the Magic with a 122-111 home win over Portland on Sunday. "Guys did not like that. I think our group has a competitive nature to it and a humility after losses to be able to own it, to be able to correct it and face the next challenge." That next challenge comes from a Pacers squad that finished off a two-game trip with a 115-104 win at Charlotte on Monday. "It started on the defensive end and that generated our offense," Indiana forward T.J. Warren told reporters. "Guys were able to get out and run, get open looks and we were able to capitalize tonight, so credit to the defense in the second half. We just tried to pick up the pace a little bit to generate offense."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: FS Sun, FS Indiana

ABOUT THE HEAT (26-10): The depth of Miami's roster allows Spoelstra to bring point guard Goran Dragic off the bench, and the former All-Star took control from that spot with 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting - 7-of-10 from 3-point range - and 13 assists in 30 minutes on Sunday. "Let's not anybody forget that this is an All-Star player we're talking about," Spoelstra told reporters of Dragic coming off the bench. "It gives me a great hammer to be able to make that point to our roster, especially our young guys. But everybody else, that if you want to be part of a good team, you have to be willing to sacrifice." Dragic's effort on Sunday came with the team missing All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler, who was scratched due to back tightness and is day-to-day.

ABOUT THE PACERS (23-14): Warren scored a season-high 36 points on 15-of-24 shooting and Indiana handed out 31 assists against the Hornets to bounce back after dropping four of the previous five contests. "Whenever you move the ball like that and you're making the defense defend you and you're not just jacking up shots, a lot of times you play in good rhythm and I thought (Warren) played a real smart game tonight," Indiana coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "There were sometimes when they double teamed him, and he got the ball out of the trap but when he was able to get a look at the basket, he put it in the basket." Warren is averaging 22 points over his last seven games to raise his season average to 18.3.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat SF Justise Winslow (back) sat out the last 15 contests but was upgraded to questionable over the weekend and could return on the road trip.

2. Pacers PF Domantas Sabonis recorded 18 points and 12 rebounds on Monday for his 29th double-double.

3. Miami earned a 113-112 home win over Indiana on Dec. 27 as Dragic made the go-ahead basket in the final seconds.

PREDICTION: Pacers 110, Heat 107