Charlotte Hornets (8-28, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (22-16, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Sunday, 6 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte looks to stop its four-game skid with a win against Miami.
The Heat are 8-0 against Southeast Division teams. Miami is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 26.1 assists per game led by Bam Adebayo averaging 4.1.
The Hornets are 3-5 against the rest of the division. Charlotte has a 5-1 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Heat's 12.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.8 fewer made shots on average than the 13.6 per game the Hornets give up. The Hornets' 45.9% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.1 percentage points lower than the Heat have allowed to their opponents (48.0%).
The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Dec. 14 the Heat won 115-104 led by 23 points from Duncan Robinson, while Terry Rozier scored 28 points for the Hornets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adebayo is averaging 22 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 19 points and four assists over the past 10 games for Miami.
Rozier is averaging 23.9 points and 6.8 assists for the Hornets. Miles Bridges is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Charlotte.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 6-4, averaging 111.4 points, 43.6 rebounds, 25.2 assists, 7.2 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.
Hornets: 1-9, averaging 103.4 points, 40.4 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 6.1 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.7 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Jimmy Butler: day to day (foot), Kyle Lowry: day to day (hand), Tyler Herro: day to day (shoulder), Dru Smith: out for season (knee).
Hornets: P.J. Washington Jr.: day to day (foot), Gordon Hayward: out (calf), Mark Williams: out (back), Frank Ntilikina: day to day (tibia), Cody Martin: day to day (groin), Brandon Miller: day to day (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Associated Press
