Miami @ Memphis preview
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Last Meeting ( Oct 15, 2023 ) Memphis 124, Miami 132
The Miami Heat vie for their third straight win overall and first on the road this season when they open a four-game trek against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
The Heat answered a four-game skid by posting a 121-114 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday and a 108-107 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers three nights later.
Miami's Jimmy Butler followed consecutive 20-point performances by erupting for a season-high 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor -- including 3-for-4 from 3-point range -- on Monday in the win over Los Angeles.
Bam Adebayo recorded his seventh career triple-double (six regular season, one postseason), collecting 22 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists against the Lakers.
"He's always playing like that," Butler said of Adebayo's performance on Monday, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "But it just doesn't always look like 22, 20 and 10."
Tyler Herro added 22 points for the Heat, who will play nine of their next 10 games on the road. Miami has lost all three of its road games this season.
"We'll continue to figure this out," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of his team's early-season performance. "It's much better to figure it out when you get a win."
Memphis likely has a similar mindset after halting a season-opening six-game losing streak with a 112-100 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Desmond Bane followed a season-high 33-point performance in a 115-113 overtime loss to the Trail Blazers on Friday with 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the rematch.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points for Memphis, which overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter by finishing the game on a 26-2 run.
"We've been competing, growing and learning a lot. A lot of people are getting new opportunities," Bane said. "I'm happy with where we're headed and how we played (on Sunday)."
Luke Kennard made four 3-pointers to highlight his 15-point performance off the bench for the Grizzlies, who shot a robust 50.6 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Santi Aldama totaled seven points, five rebounds and three assists in his season debut after missing the team's first six games with a sprained right ankle.
Bismack Biyombo collected eight points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks while battling foul trouble in his first start since signing with the club last Wednesday. He got the nod in favor of Xavier Tillman Sr., who was scratched approximately an hour before the start of the game due to knee soreness.
"Having Santi back out there, having (Biyombo) out there really helps what we can do on the interior," Bane said.
The Heat and Grizzlies split their two meetings last season, with each team winning on its home court. Aldama recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds in Memphis' 101-93 victory on Dec. 5, 2022, while Adebayo collected 26 points and eight rebounds and Butler added 23 and eight, respectively, in Miami's 138-119 win on March 15.
--Field Level Media