WHO: Phoenix Suns (6-1) vs. Miami Heat (3-3)

When: 7:00 PM Arizona time

Where: Footprint Center — Phoenix, Arizona

Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports

Listen:KMVP 98.7

The Suns look to keep their momentum going as they host the Miami Heat tonight at the Footprint Center, looking for their sixth straight victory. Despite their strengths, this team still has areas for improvement, with weaknesses that need to be addressed and plenty of opportunity to grow. While Phoenix may not yet rank alongside the NBA’s top teams like the Celtics, Thunder or Cavaliers, they remain a formidable force.

Right now, the Suns have mastered the art of winning close games – a crucial skill in the NBA, where outcomes can change on a nightly basis. So far this season, five of Phoenix’s seven games have come down to clutch moments (the final five minutes by a margin of five points or less), and they have emerged victorious in all five. Their ability to close out close games underlines how dangerous this team can be.

I’m curious to see which version of the Suns will show up tonight against the Miami Heat.

Miami no longer has the powerful feeling they once did, even though they were only in the Finals in 2020 and 2023. Under the coaching of Erik Spoelstra, they have always been a competitive threat, but with an aging Jimmy Butler and a roster that doesn’t fit together as seamlessly as before, their sharpness seems dulled. The Heat came in with a 3-3 record, which currently puts them in third place in the Eastern Conference, but those wins have come against the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings, not exactly an elite gauntlet -opponents.

Likely starters

Injury report

Sunbathing

• Bradley Beal – PROBABLY (right elbow pain)

Heat

• Jaime Jaquez, Jr. – OFF (disease)
• Kevin Love – OUT (return to competition reconditioning)

Uniform match

What to pay attention to

All eyes will of course be on the match between Bam Adebayo and Jusuf Nurkic. Athletic big men often challenge Nurkic defensively, so it will be interesting to see how quickly Coach Budenholzer adapts when Nurk Daddy is struggling. Much will depend on how well Adebayo performs, as he is currently averaging just 15.3 points per game on a career-low shooting rate of 44.2%, his lowest scoring average since the 2018-19 season.

The Suns have shown they can win in different ways. In their win over the 76ers, they focused on attacking the paint instead of relying heavily on three-pointers, exploiting Philly’s weak interior defense. Tonight, facing Bam Adebayo and Miami’s strong defensive unit, the Suns likely face a tougher battle in the paint.

Phoenix ranks fourth in the league in limiting opponents’ effective field goal percentage, with teams maintaining an EFG of 50.9%. Miami, right behind at 7th, allows an EFG of 51.8% and is particularly effective at defending the perimeter, with opponents shooting just 34.8% from beyond the arc (11th best in the league). This defensive showdown should be an intriguing test of both teams’ versatility.

Key to a Suns victory

If the Suns can make effective use of their mid-range play – a signature strength of theirs – it could be the key to winning this match. With Devin Booker and Kevin Durant as two of the most efficient mid-range shooters in the league, Phoenix has the weapons to exploit any defensive gaps Miami leaves outside the paint and beyond the arc. Miami’s defense is solid in the paint and respectable on the perimeter, but they can be vulnerable in the midrange.

This area of ​​the floor is crucial for Phoenix because it provides opportunities that force Miami to stretch their defense, creating space for drives or kickouts to the perimeter. If Booker and Durant get into a rhythm from mid-range, it will likely push Miami’s defenders out of their comfort zones, disrupt their structure and put more pressure on Adebayo to cover multiple threats. In close games, the Suns’ ability to take advantage of this center advantage could tip the balance in their favor.

Prediction

I’m leaning toward Phoenix in this case, although it could be a low-scoring game given the defensive prowess of both teams. FanDuel has the over/under set at 221, but I’ll take the under.

Sun 107, Heat 102