Pelicans Try To End Three-Game Losing Streak Against Heat

The New Orleans Pelicans continue to aim for a win that will end their three-game losing streak, and that will not come easy Sunday when they visit the Miami Heat at the FTX Arena in Miami.

Both the Heat and the Pelicans are coming off last-game losses and will be looking to rebound with a win Sunday.

However, the upcoming game is more important for the Pelicans, which are looking for a breakthrough win. But without main stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, it would take a Herculean effort for them to steal a win from Miami’s turf.

Against the Orlando Magic Friday, not even the combined efforts of several players who scored 10 points or more could prevent the Pels from dropping their latest assignment, 110-123.

CJ McCollum led the way in that loss with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Jonas Valanciunas added a double-double effort with 20 markers and 10 rebounds.

“They were the aggressors and that’s why they shot extremely well from the field,” New Orleans coach Willie Green said, according to ESPN. “They were going to force the issue, get to the paint. And if they didn’t have it, they kicked out to guys and they made shots.”

New Orleans is averaging 116.4 points per game, ninth in the league. They also have an offensive rating of 114.7, which is the 10th highest in the league.

Defensively, the Pelicans are giving up 113.7 points per game, 16th in the league. They own a defensive rating of 111.7, which is the seventh-lowest in the league.

On the other side, the Heat is looking to get back on track following a 90-115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Victor Oladipo led the Heat in that losing cause with 20 points. He was backed by Bam Adebayo, who had a double-double performance of 18 points and 11 rebounds.

“I don’t think we brought a great motor and level of detail to our offense,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, according to ESPN. “And I know that was a big point of emphasis for them to really get after us. They’d been giving up a lot of points, so you knew you were going to get their best defensive effort.”

The Heat is scoring 108.8 points per game, which is the lowest average of points scored per game this season. They also own an offensive rating of 112.1, the 23rd highest in the NBA.

As for their defensive efforts, they are limiting opponents to 108.7 points per game, the second-least amount of points allowed in the league. They tote a defensive rating of 111.4, the fourth-lowest in the NBA.

The Heat are -6.5 favorites to pull off a win against the Pelicans, which are at +6.5, according to USA Today’s Sports Wire. The Moneyline for this matchup is -255 for Miami and +215 for New Orleans.

The Miami Heat will host the New Orleans Pelicans at the FTX Arena Sunday, with tip-off set for 3:30 p.m. EST. The game can be watched via NBA League Pass. Live streaming is also available via FuboTV.