Breaking Down Miami Heat Lineup Ahead of Dallas Mavericks Game

The Heat are 3-5 in their last eight while Dallas has won four straight.

Apr 10, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) returns to the bench against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Tonight at 5 PM CST, the Mavericks travel to the Kaseya Center in Miami to take on the Heat, a team that has struggled down the stretch and has lost five of its last eight contests. The Heat are 6-7 overall and sit at sixth place in the Eastern Conference, while Dallas, at 9-7, is the ninth-place squad in the West.

Guard Tyler Herro has been the star for Miami in 2024, leading the team in points per game at 24.2 as well as assists at 5.2. He has seen a huge increase in statistics across the board, including field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and number of shots from deep when compared to last year. He's shooting a blistering 45.2% from beyond the arc on 9.7 attempts per game while getting to the free-throw line 3.8 times per contest as opposed to his 2.6 last season. His increased aggressiveness on the offensive end has paid dividends for this Miami team that needs all the offense it can get.

READ MORE: Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier Game Status for Mavericks-Heat

Given that Herro has taken on a much bigger role this season, players like Jimmy Butler have taken a bit of a backseat in the scoring department – the veteran wing is scoring 17.2 points per game and has shown signs of slowing down a bit, though he did score 30 against the Sixers on November 18. He will start at small forward, though he has been a bit banged up this season, missing four cumulative games across 2024.

At shooting guard will be Duncan Robinson, a three-point specialist averaging 10.2 points per game this season on 40% from deep. The 6-foot-7 wing out of Michigan will slide into a starting role in the absence of Terry Rozier, who is nursing a foot injury and will be out of tonight's matchup. Due to his ailment, Herro will likely take the reins as lead guard while Robinson plays the two.

At the four is Haywood Highsmith, an undersized combo forward that will fill the power forward slot. On the season, he's putting up 7.8 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 55.9% from the field overall in 25 minutes per game. Though not a statistical monster, Highsmith is a solid defensive player who helps to control the paint despite being just 6-foot-5.

READ MORE: Mavericks at Heat: How to Watch, TV, Time, Odds, & Preview

The center position will be held down by Bam Adebayo, who, like Herro, is a fellow Kentucky product. The big man has been Miami's starting center since the 2019-2020 season and is a major part of what they do on both sides of the ball. An elite play finisher and defensive threat, he leads the team in rebounds, steals, and blocks, all while being third on the team in points.

Players like Jaime Jaquez, Nikola Jovic, Alec Burks, Josh Richardson, and Pelle Larsson will all come off the bench, as Miami runs a deep rotation of players. 14 players on the Heat average 10 or more minutes per game, meaning Dallas will have to contend with fresh legs throughout the contest tonight. Even without Luka Doncic, the Mavericks have played well, and against a Miami team missing its starting point guard in Rozier, they should be able to steal a road victory.

READ MORE: Kyrie Irving's Future With Dallas Mavericks Clarified

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