Heat Seeking 12th Consecutive Win Over Cavs At Home
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MIAMI (SportsDirect Inc.) -- The Miami Heat aim to continue their impressive home winning streak against Cleveland on Saturday when they seek their 12th consecutive victory over the Cavaliers at AmericanAirlines Arena in the first of a home-and-home set.
Cleveland's last win in Miami was a 92-91 decision Jan. 25, 2010 when LeBron James was on his first tour of duty with the Cavaliers, prior to his departure to the Heat for four seasons.
Cleveland established an NBA record by making 25 3-pointers in Friday's high-octane 135-130 victory over the host Atlanta Hawks.
"That first 2 1/2 quarters was great basketball," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said afterward. "That's how we're capable of playing. Moving the basketball, sharing the basketball, making the extra pass ... that's who we are."
The Cavaliers lead the Eastern Conference by 3 1/2 games over the Boston Celtics, while the Heat dropped to 1 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Detroit Pistons by falling 110-99 to the host Orlando Magic on Friday.
The loss was only the fourth in the past 21 games for Miami but the woeful effort included 38.5 percent shooting from the field, including 8-of-28 from 3-point range.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (42-18): Point guard Kyrie Irving scored 43 points and made five 3-pointers, and forward LeBron James tallied 38 and knocked down six 3-pointers against Atlanta. Swingman Kyle Korver and forwards Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson and Derrick Williams all made three to help break the record set earlier this season by Houston and later matched by Denver. Korver has been spectacular from long range since being acquired from the Hawks, making 69-of-138 3-points attempts and sinking at least three in 13 of the 24 games.
ABOUT THE HEAT (28-34): Miami made a rapid improvement from the team that was 19 games below .500 at the midway point but the loss to Orlando felt like a step back to several players. "Of course, it was a bad night. We lost the game," point guard Goran Dragic said after his 3-of-14 shooting performance. "They got everything they wanted. We couldn't find any rhythm on offense. We just didn't play well. It's frustrating when you are losing against a team that already is planning for vacation." Center Hassan Whiteside recorded 15 points and 18 rebounds against the Magic and has four straight double-doubles and eight consecutive double-digit rebounding efforts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Cavaliers rolled to a 114-84 home victory over the Heat earlier this season.
2. Miami SG Dion Waiters was 1-of-11 shooting while scoring three points against Orlando.
3. Newly signed C Andrew Bogut is expected to make his Cleveland debut in Monday's home game against Miami.
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