Utah Jazz at Miami Heat Game Thread

The Injured Utah Jazz (no Rudy Gobert, no Dante Exum), tip off against the absent Miami Heat (Dwyane Wade attending to his hospitalized son, Gerald Green being Gerald Green) tonight. Both teams look to make the playoffs. The difference is that one of them is trying to do it in the Western Conference, and thus, cross-conference games mean a little more -- in the East you just need to beat the East to get the tie breakers to be the 8th seed with their 38 wins or whatever. It should be a fun game for the former Champs and the former Lotto dwellers.

Starters:

• Point Guard: Raul Neto @ Goran Dragic
• Shooting Guard: Rodney Hood @ Josh Richardson
• Small Forward: Gordon Hayward @ Luol Deng
• Power Forward: Trey Lyles (Oh Canada!) @ Chris Bosh
• Center: Derrick Favors @ Hassan Whiteside

Key Bench:

• Ball handler: Trey Burke @ Beno Udrih (if available)
• Scorer: Alec Burks @ Justise Winslow
• Energy Big: Trevor Booker @ Udonis Haslem / Chris Andersen
• "Big" big: Jeff Withey @ Amar'e Stoudemire
• Utility: Joe Ingles vs. Josh McRoberts

Not available:

• Dwyane Wade - family
• Gerald Green - suspended
• Rudy Gobert - injured
• Dante Exum - injury physio therapy

Miami is a slow paced team (28th) that plays defense (2nd in Opp PPG, 3rd in DRTG), and matches up well traditionally against other teams that can go big. Chris Bosh is a stretch guy and a post up threat, who rebounds, and blocks shots. If Utah goes small Miami can counter with Bosh as the only big . . . and still be dangerous inside and out. Miami is missing two from their wing rotation. The Jazz do not have an advantage anywhere besides the wing. It's going to be interesting to see what happens.

GO JAZZ GO!