NBA Matchups: December 11

Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets

Team Totals: Heat 112.5, Hornets 108.5

Injury Report: Mark Williams (D, back), Nick Smith Jr. (D, foot), Bam Adebayo (O, hip), Haywood Highsmith (O, back)

Heat projected starters: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Orlando Robinson

Hornets projected starters: Terry Rozier, Brandon Miller, Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges, Nick Richards

Spo quotes: Said the turnovers really messed them up, said their defense wasn’t rotating like it normally does, said teams are putting bigger bodies on Jimmy now and they’ll have to make adjustments, said he wasn’t even thinking about how bigger players were on Jimmy without Bam because Bam wasn’t available for the Cavs game.

Clifford quotes: Said he likes how they’re near the top in paint touches per game, said Miller continues to be a quick learner and he creates action off the ball, said Miller plays with incredible composure, said they want to look at Mark Williams with P.J. Washington more, said LaMelo is doing harder workouts and his fingers are crossed he can make it back soon.

Stats and Notes: 

*Miami not having Bam spells trouble for their defense again. We’ve seen them get smashed inside, and they’re still the league’s worst rim D per possession. On top of the terrible rim D, they’re still one of the biggest 3-point funnels in the league, so it’s no surprise the Heat rank just 16th in defense this year. The Hornets are also a huge rim funnel this year with the sixth-most rim points allowed. They’re also one of the worst teams at slowing down dribble jumpers, which isn’t too surprising since they’re 28th in defense.

Great matchups: Nick Richards, Orlando Robinson

Good matchups: Terry Rozier, Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier

Bad matchups: Miles Bridges

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Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons

Team Totals: Pacers 127.3, Pistons 119.8

Injury Report: Aaron Nesmith (Q, hip), Andrew Nembhard (O, knee), Marvin Bagley (D, back), Jalen Duren (O, ankle)

Pacers projected starters: Tyrese Haliburton, Bruce Brown, Buddy Hield, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner

Pistons projected starters: Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart

Carlisle quotes: Talked about how the experience in Vegas is going to help them going forward, said he was disappointed in the result but he thought the effort was there, said the title game “didn’t even happen” in the standings, said it’s a glorious time for the Pacers and they had 16K people at the watch party in Indy, said Haliburton was unfazed by the limelight and he should be in the MVP conversation, said the Lakers were sending two to Haliburton more to cut his scoring down.

Monty quotes: Said Orlando had too many cuts against them, said they couldn’t maintain their defensive intensity in the second half, said they have to create better bench combinations, said they couldn’t execute their transition offense.

Stats and Notes: 

*These teams are two of the best at limiting off-ball shooting with the Pacers allowing the fewest points on C&S shots and the Pistons at third lowest. The Pacers continue to be a huge rim funnel, allowing a league-high 52.5 points per game. Plus, with Jalen Duren out, the Pistons should be giving up easy at-rim shots to Indy, who ranks second in rim scoring. The Pistons just don’t have any guy on the team that can slow down perimeter options, and these teams are also the two worst PNR handler defenses with the Pacers allowing 22.7 points and the Pistons right behind them at 22.2 points. A lot of the high-end pieces in this game should be able to turn it up.

Great matchups: Myles Turner, Isaiah Stewart, Tyrese Haliburton

Good matchups: Cade Cunningham, Obi Toppin, Jaden Ivey

Bad matchups: Buddy Hield

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Cleveland Cavaliers (front end) at Orlando Magic