The Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors will face off Tuesday night in San Francisco, both looking to bounce back from recent embarrassing defeats.
The Heat’s lopsided loss occurred at home against the Utah Jazz, a 136-100 blowout on the eve of their six-game road trip. However, the Heat showed a much stronger effort on Monday night in Sacramento, despite a 123-118 double-overtime loss to the Kings. This was in the wake of franchise-shaking news of Jimmy Butler’s suspension. All five Heat starters played 41 or more minutes, which could have taken a toll.
Miami rode a strong second-half defense to lead by as many as 17 points before the Kings rallied to force overtime.
The Warriors also suffered humiliation at home, being thrashed 129-99 by the rival Kings on Sunday night. This marked their second defeat of the season by 30 or more points. The last time it happened, Golden State rebounded with a 113-103 win at Minnesota after a 144-93 drubbing at Memphis.
Sunday’s game was Golden State’s first without Jonathan Kuminga, who will miss at least three weeks with a sprained right ankle. The Warriors had hoped Dennis Schroder and Buddy Hield would fill the void, but they combined for just 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting against the Kings.
Playing without Butler, who is expected to miss Miami’s entire Western swing, is not new for the Warriors. Butler hasn’t played against Golden State since Nov. 1, 2022. Last season, the teams split their matchups, each winning on the opponent’s home floor. In their most recent meeting in San Francisco in December 2023, Jamal Cain and Nikola Jovic stepped up in Butler’s absence to lead the Heat to a 114-102 victory.
The Warriors will be playing their eighth home game in nine outings. They have gone 3-4 on home court during this stretch, losing to the Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Kings. Both teams will be looking to find their footing and secure a much-needed win.
