The Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks both look to start off on the right foot in 2021 with a win on Friday night. The Heat are 2-2 after some up and down performances against the Milwaukee Bucks in a doubleheader, while the Mavericks are off to a tough 1-3 start in a loaded Western Conference. The Mavericks’ lone win came in a historic performance against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Heat won the only game the two teams played last season in a 122-118 win in overtime. Luka Doncic injured his ankle and left early in the game, however, the Mavericks hung around and almost pulled off an upset without their star player.
Can the Miami Heat begin to gain momentum off their latest performance against the Bucks or will the Mavericks start to turn their ship around with a win? Continue reading below for all the relevant information you’ll need to know about Friday night’s matchup.
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Heat vs. Mavericks New Year’s Day 2021: TV information, betting odds
Time: 7:00 pm EST
TV: Fox Sports (local), NBA League Pass
Spread: Mavericks -1.5
Moneyline: Heat +100; Mavericks -122
Over/Under: 222.5
Miami Heat injury report
- Jimmy Butler (ankle): Probable
- Kelly Olynyk (knee): Probable
- Gabe Vincent (knee): Probable
Dallas Mavericks injury report
- Maxi Kleber (ankle): Questionable
- Kristaps Porzingis (knee): OUT
Heat vs. Mavericks New Year’s Day 2021: Projected starting lineups
Miami Heat projected starting lineup
PG: Tyler Herro, SG: Avery Bradley, SF: Duncan Robinson, PF: Jimmy Butler, C: Bam Adebayo
Dallas Mavericks projected starting lineup
PG: Luka Doncic, SG: Tim Hardaway Jr., SF: Josh Richardson, PF: Dorian Finney-Smith, C Dwight Powell
Players to watch during the Heat vs. Mavericks game
Jimmy Butler, who initially suffered an ankle injury opening night, is coming off two missed games against the Milwaukee Bucks. The 31-year-old has only played two contests with an average of 11.5 points 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 steals, but these stats are skewed due to him not finishing the Pelicans game on Christmas Day.
Butler is most likely going to play. How many minutes? That still remains to be seen, as Miami will likely want to be a little cautious in easing him back to the court. Butler’s return on Friday night could see the first rendition of the Miami Heat’s potential starting lineup moving forward.
Tyler Herro is coming off two 20 plus point performances against the Bucks. Herro was guarded by one of the best defensive guards in the NBA and showed he could have the potential to score 20 points a night this season. With an easier challenge defensively coming up against the struggling Dallas Mavericks, Herro could be in for another great night on Friday.
Luka Doncic has struggled compared to last year over the first four games of the NBA season. Doncic is averaging 23.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists while shooting 43.8% from the field. The most notable struggle for Doncic has been his three-point shooting which is at a 9.5% clip on a total of 21 shots. Doncic will look to shake off the early season jitters against a potent Miami Heat defense.
Josh Richardson will play against the team that drafted and molded him into the player he is today for the third time. Richardson has been a great addition to Dallas with his 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 29.3 minutes per night. Richardson is coming off a poor performance against the Hornets, only scoring four points on 1-of-10 shooting. The 27-year-old will look to turn it around against his former squad.
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