NETS GAMENIGHT: #Heat (27-9) @ #Nets (14-21)

Miami Heat (27-9) @ Brooklyn Nets (14-21)

Barclays Center 8:00

TV: YES/ESPN – RADIO: WFAN 660/101.9FM

[quote_simple]NETS STARTERS
The starting lineup tonight will be  Shaun Livingston playing alongside Alan Anderson in the backcourt with Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce up front and the man in the middle Kevin Garnett.

Johnson scored 27 points to help the Nets end Golden State’s 10-game winning streak with a 102-98 victory Wednesday Night in Brooklyn.

They’ve won the first three on their four-game homestand and hope to continue their new year resurgence with a win over the defending champion Heat tonight.

Brooklyn beat Miami 101-100 at home Nov. 1 behind 19 points from Johnson and Pierce to end a 13-game losing streak in the series with Miami.

The Nets defense has finally showed up in 2014 so if they keep that effort going tonight they could win their fifth straight and really have something to build on.

[box]Injury News:

Deron Williams has been ruled out of this game and Saturday’s game in Toronto and he will be re-evaluated next Tuesday.

[/box]

HEAT STARTERS

The Heat starting lineup will be Norris Cole and Dwayne Wade in the backcourt with Rashard Lewis, Lebron James and Chris Bosh playing in the frontcourt.

The Heat will try to bounce back from Thursday’s 102-92 loss to the Knicks that ended their three-game winning streak.

Miami played without Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers in the loss and both are questionable for tonight’s game.

The Heat will be looking for some payback for the loss in Brooklyn on Nov. 1 when they lost 101-100.

[quote_simple][box]Game Notes:

The Nets could match their win total from both November (17 games) and December (14 games) through five games in January.

The Nets are 4-1 this season in games decided by three or fewer points.

Last season, the HEAT swept the season-series, 3-0.

[/box]

[box]WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Streaking

The Nets are finally streaking and the defense is leading the way by holding the last four opponents under 100 points.

Andrei Kirilenko has been a major addition to the lineup and the team has changed its mentality since he came back from back spasms.

The team is 6-3 with AK47 in the lineup this season so his presence has made a difference in their attitude.

If the Nets can come away with this win tonight against Miami they can legitimately talk about the team turning a corner.

Lets go streaking……..

[/box]

[/quote_simple]

[box]INJURY REPORT

NETS

Deron Williams – OUT- (left ankle)

Brook Lopez  – OUT (ankle)

HEAT

Greg Oden – OUT (knee)

Shane Battier – questionable (left quad strain)

Mario Chalmers – questionable (right achilles strain)

[/box]