National Basketball Association
Preview
L.A. Clippers at Miami
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Where: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida

The Miami Heat will look to snap a season-high-tying four-game losing streak on Wednesday night against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.

All four losses have come by five points or less, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra remains confident.

"We have a tough-minded group, and that's what we need right now," he said. "Even as a veteran coach, you realize how tough it is to win in this league. We just have to stay together and figure it out."

The Heat have settled on a starting lineup of point guard Davion Mitchell, combo guard Tyler Herro, small forward Andrew Wiggins, power forward Bam Adebayo and rookie center Kel'el Ware.

Herro leads the Heat with averages of 23.8 points and 5.7 assists per game. Adebayo (17.8 ppg) paces Miami in rebounds (10 per game). Over his past 19 games, he is averaging 23 points and 10.2 boards.

Wiggins, who has played just eight games for Miami since being acquired as part of the Jimmy Butler trade, is averaging 18.5 points with the Heat.

Mitchell, in 13 games since also being acquired in the Butler trade, is shooting 45 percent on 3-pointers. He is averaging 9.1 points and 5.1 assists.

Ware is averaging 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and a team-high 1.1 blocks. He also leads the team in field-goal percentage (53.7).

Miami's key reserve is Duncan Robinson, who has a streak of eight games scoring in double figures.

Meanwhile, the Clippers started a three-game road trip with a 127-120 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Clippers.

Los Angeles fell victim to a vintage performance by injury-prone Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who had 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

The Clippers got a game-high 29 points from Kawhi Leonard. James Harden added 25 points and a game-high 17 assists and 7-footer Ivica Zubac added 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

For the season, Zubac is averaging 16 points and a team-high 12.5 rebounds a game.

Beyond that trio, the Clippers have a certain Miami feel as Brian Shaw is the interim coach and Derrick Jones Jr. is a key reserve. Both are former Heat players.

Shaw has been running the team the past two games because head coach Tyronn Lue has been out due to back pain.

Jones, an explosive leaper, is averaging 10.4 points a game. Harden, 35, is having a resurgent season, averaging 22.2. That's a six-point improvement from last season.

Over the past five games, Harden is averaging 30.4 points, 11 assists and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 64.9 percent from the floor.

However, Leonard, 33, has played in just 23 games due to injuries. When healthy, he is averaging 18.5 points.

"When the time is needed," Harden said of Leonard, "he steps up and makes big-time shots."

The big surprise for the Clippers this season has been 6-3 shooting guard Norman Powell, who is averaging 23.5 points, which is 10 points per game more than what he put up last season. He also scored 41 points in a game against Utah last month.

--Field Level Media

Stats and Records
Team Comparison
  W/L Strk Home Away Day Night Div Conf
L.A. Clippers 35-30 L1 22-10 13-20 2-2 33-28 7-7 21-22
Miami 29-35 L4 15-15 13-20 1-3 28-32 7-5 18-22
Last Meeting
L.A. Clippers Miami
Date Away Home Pts Reb FG% Pts Reb FG%
1/13/25 MIA 98 LAC 109 109 48 48.4 98 49 38.8
Player Stats
Previous Matchup
Points Player Total FG% FTM
L.A. Clippers N. Powell 29 70.6 0
Miami T. Herro 32 45.0 10
Rebounds Player Total Off Def
L.A. Clippers I. Zubac 20 4 16
Miami K. Ware 13 4 9
Assists Player  
L.A. Clippers J. Harden 11
Miami T. Herro 7
Season
Points Player Total FG% FTM
L.A. Clippers J. Harden 1433 39.5 405
Miami T. Herro 1496 46.0 226
Rebounds Player Total Off Def
L.A. Clippers I. Zubac 817 238 579
Miami B. Adebayo 642 157 485
Assists Player  
L.A. Clippers J. Harden 567
Miami T. Herro 359
Quickchart Matchup
L.A. Clippers L.A. Clippers Off vs  Miami Miami Defense
L.A. Clippers Off vs Miami - Points For 111.0 Points For
L.A. Clippers Off vs Miami - Points Against 110.5 Points Against
L.A. Clippers - FG% 47.2 FG%
Miami - FG% 46.2 FG%
L.A. Clippers - Reb 43.5 Reb
Miami - Reb 45.1 Reb
Miami Miami Off vs  L.A. Clippers L.A. Clippers Defense
Miami Off vs L.A. Clippers - Points For 110.0 Points For
Miami Off vs L.A. Clippers - Points Against 108.9 Points Against
Miami - FG% 45.8 FG%
L.A. Clippers - FG% 46.2 FG%
Miami - Reb 43.7 Reb
L.A. Clippers - Reb 42.5 Reb