Field Level Media
21 Jan 2020, 23:55 GMT+10
The Miami Heat, who have the best home record in the NBA at 19-1, will play host to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Miami has already matched its home wins from last season, when the Heat went just 19-22 at American Airlines Arena.
The Heat have been vulnerable on the road this season (11-12), but they continued their home dominance on Monday night with a 118-113 overtime win against the Sacramento Kings.
Miami now leads the NBA in another category this season -- best overtime record (7-0).
"We've got a lot of determination," Heat center Bam Adebayo said. "That's what you want to see in your locker room."
Adebayo's layup with 0.8 seconds left in regulation sent Monday's game to overtime. Adebayo, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, benefited from point guard Goran Dragic's terrific in-bounds pass, and the Heat center also got away with a push in order to get position.
But that's not to diminish what the Heat have accomplished this season. Coach Erik Spoelstra has managed numerous potential trouble spots seamlessly, including the season-long banishment of guard Dion Waiters, 28, who has been suspended three times this campaign.
Spoelstra also suspended forward James Johnson at the start of the season after he reported to training camp out of shape. But Johnson is now in Spoelstra's good graces, and he was sensational in Miami's win Monday, scoring a season-high 22 points. Johnson made 9-of-11 shots, including 4-of-5 from deep, and also blocked a potential game-tying 3-pointer by Bogdan Bogdanovic in the final seconds of overtime.
Miami won that game without its top player, four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, who sat out due to a sore right hip.
Butler, who leads the Heat in points (20.2), assists (6.4) and steals (1.9), is questionable for Wednesday's game, although Spoelstra didn't seem concerned long-term.
"I think a couple of days of treatment will serve (Butler) really well," Spoelstra said.
The Heat, who were already without Justise Winslow (back injury), temporarily lost Derrick Jones Jr. with 8.4 seconds left in the third quarter when he was accidentally poked in both eyes by Sacramento's Cory Joseph. Jones, however, returned late in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, the Wizards, who are just 5-17 on the road this season, are coming off a 106-100 win over the visiting Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Bradley Beal posted a game-high 29 points and added six assists against Detroit, passing Hall of Famer Wes Unseld for fourth place on Washington's all-time scoring list.
The Wizards, who snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Detroit, have split two contests with the Heat this season, with each team winning at home. The last time the teams played each other was Dec. 30, when the Wizards upset the Heat 123-105.
Beal missed that game due to a leg injury, but undrafted rookie Garrison Mathews scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Washington charge. The Wizards also got 29 from Jordan McRae and 25 from Ian Mahinmi.
The Wizards, just 14-28 this season overall but still hoping to make a playoff push, will be looking for more inspirational performances on Wednesday.
"That's the goal," Beal said when asked about the playoffs. "We've got to tighten up."
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