Preview: Nets At Heat

[April 08, 2014]  The Brooklyn Nets have spent the last few months proving they belong among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. The Nets will get a chance to make their case once again when they visit the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Brooklyn won each of the first three meetings with the Heat and owns a 32-13 record in 2014 while East-leading Miami is 29-16 in that span with a pair of losses to the Nets.

The Heat appear to have recovered completely from their rough stretch in March and tried to damage the New York Knicks' playoff dreams with a 102-91 home victory on Sunday. Miami is a game up on the Indiana Pacers for the top spot in the East — two games clear in the loss column — and will get Indiana at home on Friday after a tough back-to-back against Brooklyn and at Memphis. The Nets are still clinging to the hope that they can catch Toronto for the top spot in the Atlantic Division and homecourt advantage in the first round. They sit 2 1/2 games back in that race with six left.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, Sun Sports (Miami)

ABOUT THE NETS (42-34): Brooklyn got Kevin Garnett (back spasms) back from a 19-game absence on Sunday and the veteran worked his way into game action with 10 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes during a 105-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Garnett is not expected to play on Tuesday but should be back for the second half of the Florida trip at Orlando on Wednesday and is following a strict plan to get back in game shape for the postseason. "Obviously, I'm not where I want to be, but I felt good, I felt strong," Garnett told reporters. "It's been a journey to get back to this point, so I'm just trying to contribute at this point."

ABOUT THE HEAT (53-23): Miami is hoping to get one of its own stars healthy for the playoffs in Dwyane Wade, who has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury. The Heat are 5-1 in that span, and LeBron James is carrying the load by putting up at least 32 points in three of the last four games. The superstar put up 38 points in Sunday's 102-91 triumph. Miami's best work lately has come on the defensive end, where they have held opponents to an average of 79.2 points in the last five victories.

BUZZER-BEATERS

1. Nets F Paul Pierce scored 29 points in a 96-95 win at Miami on Mar. 12.
   

2. Heat F Chris Andersen (knee/back) and C Greg Oden (back) are both questionable for Tuesday along with Wade.
   

3. Brooklyn F Mason Plumlee is 19-for-25 from the field in the last five games.
   

PREDICTION: Heat 106, Nets 102

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