Heat take on the Trail Blazers in non-conference action

Updated Jan. 18, 2022 3:02 a.m. ET
Associated Press

Portland Trail Blazers (18-25, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Miami Heat (28-16, second in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat host Norman Powell and the Portland Trail Blazers in out-of-conference play.

The Heat have gone 14-5 in home games. Miami ranks seventh in the NBA with 25.5 assists per game. Kyle Lowry leads the Heat averaging 8.3.

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The Trail Blazers are 4-14 in road games. Portland ranks fifth in the Western Conference shooting 35.4% from 3-point range.

The teams play for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 6 the Heat won 115-109 led by 25 points from Max Strus, while Anfernee Simons scored 28 points for the Trail Blazers.

TOP PERFORMERS: Duncan Robinson is shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc with 3.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Heat, while averaging 11.4 points. Herro is averaging 22.1 points and 4.4 assists over the last 10 games for Miami.

Simons is averaging 14.6 points and 3.3 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jusuf Nurkic is averaging 16.4 points, 13.1 rebounds, four assists and 1.9 steals over the past 10 games for Portland.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 7-3, averaging 113.9 points, 46.5 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.8 points per game.

Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 109.5 points, 45.0 rebounds, 22.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.3 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Victor Oladipo: out (right knee), Markieff Morris: out (reconditioning), KZ Okpala: out (wrist), Kyle Lowry: out (personal).

Trail Blazers: Larry Nance Jr.: out (knee), Norman Powell: out (reconditioning), Damian Lillard: out (abdominal), CJ Elleby: out (ankle), Cody Zeller: out (knee).

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