Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers preview

The Miami Heat play at the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday. It is the second meeting in three days

After starting the season 31-13, the Heat are just 5-7 in their last 12 games. At 36-20, they are No. 4 in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics ... The Heat defeated the Cavaliers 124-105 Saturday in Miami in a game that featured the retirement of future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade's jersey. Miami has won eight straight in the series ... The Heat have lost five of their last six on the road, including Thursday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks. They are just 13-17 away from home this season. They have allowed an average of 115.3 points a game in the last three road games ... Center Bam Adebayo leads the team in double-doubles with 32 ... Guards Jimmy Butler (personal reasons) and Tyler Herro (foot) and forward Meyers Leonard (ankle) did not make the trip. Butler has missed two straight games while Herro and Leonard have been sidelined for eight straight ... At 15-41, the Cavs have the worst record in the Eastern Conference. They are 7-22 at home ... Guard Collin Sexton has scored in double figures in 27 straight games ... Larry Nance Jr. is averaging 13.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in his last 13 games. Center Andre Drummond ranks first in the NBA with 45 double doubles. In the last wto games, Cedi Osman is scoring 17.5 points a game ... Kevin Love is expected back missing two of the last three games with a sore Achilles. Alfonzo McKinnie (foot) and Dylan Windler (leg) are out.

Game time: 7 p.m.

TV: Fox Sports Florida

Line: Miami -6


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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here