Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat Prediction & Match Preview - January 30th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The red hot Sacramento Kings will visit the AmericanAirlines Arena on Saturday to take on the slumping Miami Heat for their first meeting of the 2020-21 NBA season.
The 8-10 Sacramento Kings will aim to extend their three-game winning streak against a short-handed Miami Heat side. The Kings have found their groove recently, led by the talented trio of De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Harrison Barnes. The trio also forms the top three scorers for the Sacramento Kings this campaign.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have been crippled this season as they continue to be riddled with injuries and player unavailability due to the league's strict health and safety protocols. The Heat's star player Jimmy Butler has missed ten consecutive games, and his absence is reflected in Miami's abysmal 6-12 season record.
Match Details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Saturday, January 30th, 2021 8:00 PM ET. (Sunday 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings are coming in hot with an all-around performance from the roster. The Kings' bench has been the highlight of their recent success and Sacramento are a win away from their best single-season winning streak since 2018 when they won five in a row.
In their last outing, the Sacramento Kings defeated the Toronto Raptors in a thrilling matchup where they came out on top with a 126-124 game decision.
The role players played a big part as former Miami Heat big man, Hassan Whiteside, registered 16 points and nine rebounds. Cory Joseph scored 16 points, and rookie point guard Tyrese Haliburton impressed fans with 10 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds for the victory.
Key Player - Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield has been tearing up the competition of late with his killer long-range shooting abilities. In his last two appearances, he first went for an impressive 29-point performance on 7 of 12 from the deep in a win against the New York Knicks on Saturday. He followed that up with a 22-point performance on 5 of 8 from the three-point line in the matchup with the Raptors.
This season, Buddy Hield is averaging 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in eighteen games so far.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G De'Aaron Fox, G Buddy Hield, F Harrison Barnes, F Marvin Bagley III, C Richaun Holmes.
Miami Heat Preview
Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat are going through a nightmare scenario this season and will be rolling in with a five-game losing streak behind them. The Heat have not been the same unit we saw last postseason and have clearly missed Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro in their lineup.
That said, Tyler Herro has been listed as a starter for their matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
In their previous outing, the Miami Heat fell to the short-handed LA Clippers 109-105. The Heat had six players scoring in double digits but could not secure the victory.
They will be desperate to turn things around in their next game and do some damage control by embarking on a winning streak that has eluded them thus far.
Key Player - Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo has been fighting hard in the Miami Heat's recent tough stretch and will have to continue to lead from the front till the rest of the players return and find their groove. Bam is coming off another solid performance against the Clippers, registering a respectable double-double performance with 16 points, 13 boards, and seven assists.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G Kendrick Nunn, G Duncan Robinson, F Tyler Herro, F Kelly Olynyk, C Bam Adebayo.
Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat Match Prediction
This matchup represents a clash of streaks, a three-game winning streak for the surging Sacramento Kings and a five-game losing one for the severely depleted Miami Heat side.
The Heat have a lot of ground to cover, and with a possibility of their star players returning, this could be the game where they shake things up with a big win. The Miami Heat are the favorites to win this one at home.
Where to watch Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat?
Local coverage of the game between the Sacramento Kings and the Miami Heat will be available on Fox Sports Sun and NBC Sports California. You can also live stream this matchup via the NBA League Pass.