Miami Heat-Dallas Mavericks Preview: How Will Heat Fare Against Struggling Mavs?

What to look for in Miami Heat’s Thursday night game in Dallas

The Miami Heat (35-26) begin their short two-game road trip on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks (34-28).

Miami has won 11 of their last 14, most recently defeating the Detroit Pistons 118-110 on Tuesday night. Jimmy Butler continued his stellar play with 26 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Bam Adebayo (18 points), Duncan Robinson (18) and Terry Rozier (17) also added to Miami’s scoring punch.

After winning seven straight, Dallas has struggled. The Mavs have lost four of five, including a 137-120 loss to the Indiana Pacers in their previous game. Luka Dončić posted a 39-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist triple-double while Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington scored 23 and 20 points, respectively.

Previous Matchups

Thursday night is the first meeting between the teams this season.

The Heat split the two-game set last season, winning 129-122 in Miami and losing 115-90 in Dallas.

What was the determining factor in each game? Butler’s performance level.

In Dallas, Butler scored just 12 points on seven shots. His lack of aggression was magnified in the blowout loss.

However, the switch flipped when the teams met again in Miami. The Heat star tallied 35 points and 12 assists in the win, shooting 12-16 from the field and 10-11 from the foul line.

Dončić did Dončić things over the two games for the Mavs. He averaged 38 points, 11 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 31 points in the game in Miami, shooting 11-15 from the field and 6-10 from three.

Opposing Players to Watch

The Mavs have one of the top backcourts in the NBA.

Dončić is having one of the best offensive seasons in NBA history. The 25-year-old guard is averaging 34.6 points (1st in NBA), 9.8 assists (3rd) and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 49.6 percent and 37.8 percent from the arc. No player has ever finished a season with those numbers. The five-time All-Star is hoping to become the third player ever to average a triple-double for an entire season, joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.

He may not be as prolific as his backcourt partner, but Irving is no slouch.

The veteran guard is averaging 25.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 49.0 percent, 42.0 percent from three and 89.6 percent from the free-throw line. His shooting splits put the eight-time All-Star in prime position to become a member of the 50-40-90 club for the second time in his career. Larry Bird, Steve Nash and Kevin Durant are the only players ever to join the club multiple times.

Key Matchup

Luka Dončić vs. Jimmy Butler

The Mavs star is averaging 36 points, 12 assists and 11.3 rebounds over his last four games, securing triple-doubles in all.

While it may seem like containing Dončić is an impossible challenge, Butler is one of the few players who has the athleticism, knowledge and toughness to succeed.

“Playoff Jimmy” has arrived early, as Butler has recently taken over games both offensively and defensively. Over his last five games, he is averaging 25.8 points, 6.6 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals while shooting 54.8 percent and 53.8 percent from three.

How To Watch Miami Heat-Dallas Mavericks, Lineups, Injury Report, Betting Odds

Nick Crandell is a staff contributor at Inside the Heat.

He can be reached at nick.crandell33@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @nickcrandell

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