{"id":698191,"date":"2026-04-04T18:02:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/698191\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T18:02:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:02:17","slug":"game-preview-heat-host-tanking-wizards-in-penultimate-home-game-of-season-hot-hot-hoops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/698191\/","title":{"rendered":"GAME PREVIEW: Heat host tanking Wizards in penultimate home game of season – Hot Hot Hoops"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Heat(Mandatory Credit: Megan Briggs\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

With just eight days left in the regular season, the Miami Heat host the Washington Wizards in their penultimate home game of the 2025-26 regular season. Tip-off will be at 3:00 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n

The Heat are losers of eight of their last 10, including a 147-129 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Boston shot 58.3 percent from the floor while burying 21 threes on 44 attempts. Miami tied a franchise record of 24 made threes, but shot a measly 41.7 percent from inside the arc, including 18-of-43 in the paint and 4-of-9 at the rim.<\/p>\n

The Wizards are losers of 20 of their last 21. One of those losses \u2014 on March 10 \u2014 came against the Miami Heat, where Bam Adebayo surpassed Kobe Bryant on the NBA\u2019s all-time scoring mark, scoring 83 points, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain\u2019s historic 100.<\/p>\n

Remember: Wilt, Bam, Kobe. Learn it, live it, love it.<\/p>\n

The only question is whether Adebayo will score 84 \u2026 or if the Heat can promptly stop a nosebleed, which they haven\u2019t been able to do the last three weeks. Since the start of March, Miami has had the seventh-worst defensive rating, including a league-worst 127.4 defensive rating over the last two weeks.<\/p>\n

At 40-37, Miami is one game back of Charlotte and Orlando for the No. 8 seed. Can the Heat earn a bounce-back win?! Let us know your prediction in the comments!<\/p>\n

Injury Report (at the time of this publishing):<\/p>\n

Washington Wizards:<\/p>\n

Bilal Coulibaly (heel) \u2014 QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n

Anthony Davis (finger) \u2014 OUT<\/p>\n

Trae Young (back) \u2014 OUT<\/p>\n

Justin Champagnie (knee) \u2014 QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n

Kyshawn George (elbow) \u2014 OUT<\/p>\n

Tre Johnson (foot) \u2014 QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n

Alex Sarr (toe) \u2014 QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n

Tristan Vukcevic (knee) \u2014 QUESTIONABLE<\/p>\n

Cam Whitmore (shoulder) \u2014 OUT<\/p>\n

Miami Heat:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tyler Herro (toe) \u2014 PROBABLE<\/p>\n

Norman Powell (upper respiratory) \u2014 OUT<\/p>\n

Terry Rozier (not with team) \u2014 OUT<\/p>\n

Projected Starting 5 (subject to change):<\/p>\n

Washington Wizards:<\/p>\n

Bub Carrington, G<\/p>\n

Tre Johnson, G<\/p>\n

Bilal Coulibaly, F<\/p>\n

Will Riley, F<\/p>\n

Tristan Vukcevic, C<\/p>\n

Miami Heat:<\/p>\n

Davion Mitchell, G<\/p>\n

Tyler Herro, G<\/p>\n

Pelle Larsson, F<\/p>\n

Andrew Wiggins, F<\/p>\n

Bam Adebayo, C<\/p>\n

Broadcast Info:<\/p>\n

Tipoff: 3:00 PM EST<\/p>\n

TV: ESPN & FanDuel Sports Network Sun (Eric Reid & John Crotty)<\/p>\n

Radio: AM 560 Sports WQAM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson)<\/p>\n

Spanish Radio: WAQI 710 AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (Jos\u00e9 Pa\u00f1eda)<\/p>\n

Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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