A pair of 3-0 teams get together in Miami this evening,
when the Heat host the Phoenix Suns at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Miami is off to its first 3-0 start since the 2004-05 squad kicked off the
campaign with four consecutive triumphs. The Heat topped New York and Indiana
before handing Chicago a 95-87 setback on Sunday in South Beach. Dwyane Wade
netted 25 points and became the first Miami player to reach 10,000 points in
his career.
Udonis Haslem added 19 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Heat, who
got 10 points and 11 boards from Michael Beasley, and are tied with Orlando
atop the Southeast standings. Mario Chalmers had 11 points in the win.
"It's important for us to start off good. It shows that we are ready. We just
have to keep it going and keep it up," Chalmers said.
The Heat are in the midst of playing eight of their first 10 games at home,
where they went 28-13 a season ago. Miami guard Daequan Cook (shoulder) is
listed as questionable for Tuesday.
Phoenix will open a five-game road trip Tuesday and enters this matchup
following home wins over Golden State and Minnesota. In Sunday's 120-112
victory versus the Timberwolves, Grant Hill had 23 points and 10 rebounds for
the Pacific Division-leading Suns, who kicked off the season with a win over
the Los Angeles Clippers.
Channing Frye added 25 points and five rebounds, while Jason Richardson ended
with 23 points in his return from a two-game suspension for pleading guilty to
driving under the influence.
"I was working hard the two games I was out, coming before practice and
getting a lot of workouts with my trainer," said Richardson. "It was trying to
just get my game experience in."
The Suns will also visit the Magic, Celtics, Wizards and 76ers on the swing.
Phoenix guard Leandro Barbosa (wrist) is probable for Tuesday's game.
Miami won both meetings with Phoenix a year ago and is unbeaten in the past
three encounters. The Suns have dropped five of eight trips to Miami.
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