Miami @ Brooklyn preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 1, 2019 ) Miami 109, Brooklyn 106

A pair of teams trending in opposite directions in the Eastern Conference meet Friday in Brooklyn as the stumbling Nets host the Miami Heat. The Nets played admirably through injuries earlier in the season but they've hit a wall, dropping seven in a row after Tuesday's overtime loss to Oklahoma City.

"We played some really good basketball. That's the shame about it," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters of the 111-103 setback. "The defense was pretty good. ... But we scored, I think, two points in overtime. Our offense is just not where it needs to be." The Heat are having no issues on that end of the floor during a two-game winning streak, scoring 122 points in both victories. Rookie Tyler Herro led a balanced attack with 19 points as Miami rolled to a 14-point win at Indiana on Wednesday. The Heat are 8-2 over their last 10 games.

TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS Sun, YES

ABOUT THE HEAT (27-10): Herro was 5-of-8 from 3-point range at Indiana and Miami boosted its East-leading percentage from beyond the arc to 37.9, part of an effort that helped the squad prove its mettle on the road after coach Erik Spoelstra challenged the players. "It wasn't about me or my message. It was about this team taking ownership of what we've done so far on the road," Spoelstra told reporters after his team improved to 10-9 away from home. "Nobody has felt great about that in the locker room, and one of the qualities of this team has been to own things we haven't been doing well and try to correct it." Star swingman Jimmy Butler was held to 14 points but he was 5-of-6 from the floor and recorded exactly seven assists for the third straight game.

ABOUT THE NETS (16-20): Spencer Dinwiddie's play was the primary reason Brooklyn was able to absorb early injuries, especially to star point guard Kyrie Irving, but he's found the going a bit tougher of late. The 26-year-old was 6-of-21 from the field against the Thunder - including 0-of-6 from long distance - and is shooting 36.4 percent during the seven-game slide, missing a free throw and a jumper in the closing seconds of regulation Tuesday. "Obviously the two last shots are very disappointing because we had a chance to win. That's extremely disheartening," Dinwiddie told reporters. "My teammates trusted me to make those plays and I didn't. This one is on me for sure."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat C Bam Adebayo scored 18 points at Indiana and is shooting 78.4 percent in four January games.

2. Nets SG Caris LeVert is averaging 16.5 points while making 4-of-5 3-pointers in two games since returning from thumb surgery.

3. PG Goran Dragic scored 24 points to lead Miami to a 109-106 win at Brooklyn in the first meeting Dec. 1.

PREDICTION: Heat 107, Nets 102