If the Miami Heat are going to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, they will be doing so without Dwyane Wade which could be trouble for the team. Wade suffered a hamstring injury back in November and has yet to be back on the court. However, the Heat are benefitting from career-high games from Mario Chalmers who originally lost his starting job at the beginning of the season. As the Clippers struggle with consistency, the Heat aim to capitalize with a win.
Since the injury to Wade, Chalmers has been dominating on the court, averaging 21.0 points on 52.8 percent shooting. This is a big upgrade in performance considering how his 2013=14 season ended. Chalmers averaged just 4.4 points in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs while also starting the season with just 8.6 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting. The absence of Wade has clearly helped the point guard find his place. There is a chance that Wade could be back on the court tonight. He has been upgraded to questionable, but Luol Deng is expected to be out after spraining his wrist against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Clippers are coming off a win over the Orlando Magic after suffering from inconsistent play in their last eight games. They alternated wins and loss during that stretch, but bounced back against the Magic as their bench outscored the team 60-23. Now Los Angeles embarks on a seven-game, 11-day road trip.
Both teams need better play from their biggest stars. Point guard Chris Paul is shooting just 37.7 percent in his last five games against the Heat while the Clippers are just 2-4 against teams with a record better than .500. Chris Bosh also needs to improve his play. The center has gone just 12 for 49 during a losing streak. Against the Clippers he has shot just 39.3 percent in the previous five games.
