Atlanta @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 18, 2017 ) Miami 104, Atlanta 110

The Miami Heat are coming off the best scoring month in franchise history and look to continue that production when they attempt to clinch a playoff spot against the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night in the first of a back-to-back. The Heat averaged 111.7 points in 16 games during March, but went 9-7 and failed in a chance to clinch Saturday in a 110-109 overtime loss at Brooklyn.

“Our team has been trending in that direction,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters of his team’s offense. “I want the guys growing together and gaining confidence as the season goes on and it’s happening at the right time and we’re doing it the right way. Our assist numbers are up. We’re sharing the ball. Guys are enjoying other players, their teammates’ success. That’s what it’s all about.” The Heat, who visit the Hawks on Wednesday, lead ninth-place Detroit by four games with five contests left and three of them are at home where they are 24-14. Atlanta snapped a five-game losing streak with a 94-88 victory over Orlando on Sunday to move within one-half game of the Magic in the race to avoid the cellar in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks will play the rest of the season without point guard and leading scorer Dennis Schroder (ankle), who is are averaging 19.4 points and 6.2 assists.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (22-55): Rookie guard Tyler Dorsey, picked in the second round last June, scored a career-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting (3-of-5 from 3-point range) in Sunday’s victory to raise his season average to 6.4. “When he gets a little bit of confidence, he has different ways of scoring,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “He has a knack for scoring. It was great to see that from him.” Center Dewayne Dedmon registered his third straight double-double Sunday and is averaging 13.7 points along with 12.3 rebounds in that span.

ABOUT THE HEAT (41-36): Center Hassan Whiteside was fined an undisclosed amount by the team for his expletive-filled post game comments about playing time after Saturday’s loss in his second game back from missing nine with a hip flexor injury. Whiteside left the game with 3:55 left in the third quarter after scoring 14 points in 20 minutes and did not return as Spoelstra went with a smaller lineup down the stretch. Power forward Kelly Olynyk has lifted his game of late, averaging 14.5 points the last four contests and draining 17-of-25 field goal attempts the past three.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Miami G Goran Dragic, who leads the team in scoring (17.4) and assists (4.8), made 92.7 percent of his free throws in March.

2. Atlanta SF DeAndre’ Bembry had four points and three assists Sunday after missing 16 games with an abdominal strain.

3. The teams have split their first two meetings this season with the Hawks taking the last matchup 110-104 on Dec. 18.

PREDICTION: Heat 108, Hawks 96