The well-rested Miami Warmth, led by captain Bam Adebayo, are set to host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night time.

Miami has been off since Monday, whereas Dallas beat the host Denver Nuggets 123-120 on Friday night time.

Adebayo, 27, is a three-time All-Star, however he seems to be struggling together with his function of captain, which he assumed after Udonis Haslem retired in the summertime of 2023.

“Do I hate it? Yeah, however it’s the accountability I have been handled,” Adebayo stated on Friday in an interview with Clutch Factors. “It is like something — professionals and cons.”

Adebayo defined that he likes the title … till it is time to act.

“They put you on this function the place they need you to deliver everyone (up) with you,” Adebayo stated. “That is type of the captain’s function, with the ability to have everyone motivated, (participant) one by way of 15.”

Adebayo, who stated he nonetheless will get recommendation from Haslem, is in no way pleased with Miami’s 6-7 begin.

“That is beneath common,” he stated.

Miami’s high participant to date this season has been Tyler Herro. The guard is averaging 24.2 factors and 5.2 assists — each tops on the crew — whereas capturing 48.6 p.c total and 45.2 p.c from 3-point vary. All these stats are on tempo to be profession highs for the sixth-year professional.

Adebayo’s numbers are down, nonetheless. Final season, he averaged 19.3 factors and a career-high 10.4 rebounds whereas capturing 52.1 p.c from the ground and 35.7 p.c from deep. This season, he’s posting 16.3 factors and 9.5 rebounds per recreation on 42.6 p.c capturing (31.3 p.c from distance).

Jimmy Butler, a six-time All-Star and the third member of Miami’s “Massive Three,” is averaging 17.7 factors, which is nicely beneath final season’s stat line (20.8). Butler did not follow on Saturday and is questionable for Sunday’s recreation with an sickness, per the South Florida Solar Sentinel.

The Warmth could also be down Butler, however the Mavericks know they’re going to be with out celebrity guard Luka Doncic, who stays sidelined with a strained proper wrist. Doncic, a five-time All-Star and the reigning NBA scoring champ, leads Dallas in factors (28.1), assists (7.6) and steals (1.6).

Nonetheless, the Mavericks have received 4 straight after shedding 4 in a row.

Dallas slipped previous Denver regardless of Doncic’s absence and a scoreless night time from Klay Thompson (0-for-8 from the ground), as an alternative counting on double-digit scoring efforts from seven gamers.

Naji Marshall scored a career-high 26 factors off the bench, whereas Dereck Energetic II made a major contribution with 11 factors on 4-for-4 capturing and two key blocks with the rating tied within the remaining two minutes.

“This can be a character recreation for us,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd stated after the win, per The Dallas Morning Information. “I believe we realized from that state of affairs — with the ability to preserve our composure.”

Kyrie Irving, second on the Mavericks with 23.9 factors per recreation, had 19 on Friday. The eight-time All-Star can also be averaging 5.3 assists whereas capturing 53.2 p.c from the ground and 51.2 p.c past the arc.

Sunday’s recreation continues an all-time sequence that features two NBA Finals matchups. Miami dispatched Dallas 4-2 for its first title in 2006 earlier than the Mavericks beat the Warmth in six video games for his or her first championship in 2011.

–Area Degree Media