Charlotte Hornets: Preview and things to watch for vs. Miami Heat

The Charlotte Hornets are on a two-game winning streak, and the team looks to keep extending it with a win over the Miami Heat. The Hornets head into this game with a record of 9-11.

The Heat have not been that hot this year, as they currently sit at 7-12 and are below the Hornets in the standings. Just like every other team, the Heat have seen their fair share of struggles this season too.

The last time Charlotte played Miami was in March 2020, where the Hornets finished off a 20+ comeback. The Hornets won without Terry Rozier in the starting lineup. Caleb Martin went off in the last matchup.

A win will help push the Hornets even further up the Eastern Conference standings. If Charlotte loses, they will fall from their current playoff spot at 8.

Charlotte Hornets vs. Miami Heat
7:30 p.m. EST, Monday, February 1st, 2021
AmericanAirlines Arena
Fox Sports Southeast

Stream: Fubo.tv

Injury Report:

CHA:

Terry Rozier – Ankle (Questionable)

MIA:

Avery Bradley – Ankle (Questionable)

Goran Dragic – Groin (Questionable)

Moe Harkless – Thigh (Questionable)

Meyers Leonard – Shoulder (Out)

Things to watch for:

At this time, it’s unclear if Terry Rozier will be playing on Monday. The Hornets lost him in the fourth quarter of Saturdays’ game after he twisted his ankle. However, LaMelo Ball picked up the slack and finished with 27 points.

With Rozier likely out, fans could finally see Ball get the first start of his career. This will also be the first time that Ball has played against the Heat.

Cody Zeller finished with 15 rebounds on Saturday; this tied his career-high with rebounds in a game. Zeller has been getting even more comfortable since coming back. Fans should watch for another 100% effort game from him.

Keys to the game:

The Heat could be without some key players in this game. While their record does not reflect the talent on their team, the Hornets need to play with the same mentality they had on Saturday.

Currently, Miami is the fourth-worst scoring team in the league. This is something the Hornets need to capitalize on and force hard offensive shots on every possession. The Heat also commits the 2nd most turnovers per game.

To add to their struggles, the Heat are also the worst rebounding team in the league, with 41.1 rebounds per game. If the Hornets limit their scoring and stay consistent on the boards, then Charlotte should come out of this one with a win.