The Heat go on a West Coast tour the next five games and the preview is that it will be an adventure. Each with a day of travel in between but with pitfalls in every stop. The Heaters (not...

The Heat go on a West Coast tour the next five games and the preview is that it will be an adventure. Each with a day of travel in between but with pitfalls in every stop. The Heaters (not Heatians) beat the Sixers 119-113 with a strong game from Jaime Jaquez. Jimmy Butler sat out with a calf injury but will travel with the team. The West Coast trip from the East can be a boon for a team or it can be brutal. Every team on the stop has a story of their season so far.

Preview Stop #5: Heat vs. Golden State

Andrew Wiggins figures to be a big part of the Dubs offense again.
(Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood, NBAE via Getty Images)

The Heat haven’t won in Golden State in a long while. Steph Curry is there and Klay Thompson. The Warriors still have the ability to put up points on the board. The Heat can’t get into a “basket for basket” game against them and need to shut the offense down. They played Christmas Day against the Denver Nuggets and both legends had bad games. Andrew Wiggins didn’t. Check out this article here on his performance on Christmas Day that could spark the Warriors to make a run in the West. The Dubs don’t have Draymond Green for this game but look at this article here from the San Jose Mercury as to why that isn’t bad.

Preview Stop #4: Heat vs. Utah (not West Coast)

These Saturday matinee games against Utah have always been competitive. Old Heat friend Kelly Olynyk will be waiting along with 7 foot phenom, Lauri Markkinen. Utah is always a mixed bag of news–check out this article here on our site how they lost to Cleveland. Conversely, check out this article here from the fan site, SLC Dunk where they scored 41 points in the fourth quarter to beat Toronto. Their defense wasn’t great and Toronto exploited it during the game. Utah only has one true point guard available, Kris Dunn. The last time the Heat played in Utah, was when Tyler Herro hit a game winning shot.

Preview Stop #3: Heat vs. Clippers

Kawhii Leonard has been ruled out of the Clippers game vs. the Hornets as per this article here. Kawhii Leonard will remain in Heat infamy as the player who single handedly ended “the Heatles” with his performance in the 2014 Finals. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are back together again on the Clippers and sulking. Check out this article here on our site as Harden is “The Great Enigma.” The Clippers have been playing better–they won 9 straight before losing their last two. They play the Heat in the last game of a three game homestand where they can feast on the Hornets and Grizzlies before ending with Miami.

Preview Stop #2: Heat vs. Lakers

Coach Ham is trying to find the right combo. (Photo credit: Luis Sinco, LA times via Getty Images)

Its always personal vs. Lebron vs. the Lakers–Jaime Jaquez returns to Los Angeles, Pat Riley helped build the Lakers, Lebron won more with the Heat, Shaquille O’Neal won Miami’s first title. In this write up here from Bleacher Report, the Lakers are shuffling lineups, trying to find a good combination. Things haven’t worked out with their current “Monster lineup” of Vanderbilt, Prince, James, Davis and Cam Reddish. They are just 2-6 in their last eight. They get a chance to feast on Charlotte in their next game.

Preview Stop #1: Heat vs. Phoenix

KD has always been sensitive. I think he’s not saying something.
(Photo credit: Joe Camporeale, USA Today)

The Big 3 of Booker, Beal and Durant. Everyone thought that this team would be unstoppable. They are realizing, as with many super teams, that it is easy to put the team together but very hard to make it into a team that plays well and wins. Look at this article here on azcentral.com. The team obviously believes they should score 150 every game and are “sandbagging it,” expecting at one point to dramatically form into a team. Sad to say that every team Kevin Durant has been after Oklahoma City has not risen to expectation. Someone isn’t saying how they really feel in Phoenix, although from the article you would think they were trying to solve a murder mystery.

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