Miami Heat at Sacramento Kings Preview

The Miami Heat play at the Sacramento Kings Sunday night at Golden 1 Center

Game time: 6 p.m., ET

Where: Golden 1 Center

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Betting line: Spurs -3.5

VITALS: The Heat and Kings meet for the first of two matchups this regular season. Last season, Miami swept the series, 2-0. The Heat are 43-22 all-time versus Sacramento during the regular season, including 28-5 in home games and 15-17 in road games ... January is the month that Miami will play the most 2021 postseason teams with 11 of their 15 games against teams that were in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Additionally, six of the Heat’s eight home games and five of their seven road games this month will all be against teams that made the playoffs last season ... Kyle Guy, who appeared in his first game with Miami on 12/31 after signing a 10-day contract the day prior on 12/30, scored a career-tying 17 points in a 120-110 win at Houston ... For the Heat, center Bam Adebayo (thumb), Dewayne Dedmon (leg), Max Strus (protocols), Gabe Vincent (protocols), Zylan Cheatham (protocols) and guard Victor Oladipo (knee) are out and P.J. Tucker (leg) is questionable. For the Kings, Dejounte Murray (safety protocols) and Zach Collins (ankle) are out.

PROJECTED STARTERS

HEAT

G Kyle Lowry

G Tyler Herro

C Omer Yurtseven

F Caleb Martin

F Jimmy Butler

KINGS

F Harrison Barnes

F Marvin Bagley III 

C Richaun Holmes

G Tyrese Haliburton 

G De'Aron Fox

QUOTABLE

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on team defense: “I think that’s a really good teaching point for our team. When you have a lead like that, our base coverage has to adjust. At that point, quick threes or over-helps that lead to threes, or turnovers going the other way can change a game really quickly. We are who we are. When you have a 15-point lead, you do have to approach it differently. These are high-class things and teaching points that we can address from here. Our guys are good with that.”

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