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The Heat lost their opener but bounced back to win Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers.

Atlanta, meanwhile, won its opener but has now lost two in a row, including Sunday afternoon at the Brooklyn Nets.

This can't be an easy stretch for the rebuilding Hawks, who are starting the season on a five-game road trip while Phillips Arena goes through a $190 million renovation.

The Hawks, to minimize their travel issues, planned to fly to Miami on Sunday night. But, even so, the Heat will be the more rested team in this battle. Adding to Atlanta's degree of difficulty for Monday night, the Hawks may be without point guard Dennis Schroder. He went down with a bruised left foot Sunday, and he had to be helped off the court with 3:37 left in the game.

He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he likely won't play Monday, though he hopes to return to action Thursday in Chicago. Schroder didn't believe the injury was serious.

Schroder would be a big loss. He is averaging 23.3 points and 6.7 assists. Even without finishing on Sunday, he still had 17 points and eight assists.

"It's our point guard. It's our leader -- you never want to see that," teammate John Collins said of the Schroder injury. "Hopefully, he'll be OK, (but) it looked bad."

Scouting report: Heat center Hassan Whiteside’s status for the contest is up in the air after he missed Saturday’s win over the Pacers with a bone bruise in his left knee. When asked if Whiteside would be available for Monday’s game, coach Erik Spoelstra said: “I don’t know. We’ll see.” … The Hawks are expected to be without point guard Dennis Schroder, who suffered a bone bruise in his left foot in Sunday’s loss to the Nets. Schroder averaged 15.7 points and 4.3 assists against the Heat last season.

The Heat and Hawks split the 2016-17 season series, 2-2, with Miami winning the last two matchups against Atlanta. Miami guards Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson and Dion Waiters played well against the Hawks last season. Dragic averaged 21.7 points, Johnson averaged 18.8 points and Waiters averaged 15.0 points against Atlanta in 2016-17. … With a win over the Hawks on Monday, the Heat would be over .500 for the first time since last season’s first game. … Atlanta will be playing its third game in four days and the fourth game of a five-game road trip. The Hawks fell to the Nets 116-104 at Brooklyn on Sunday and fell to the Hornets 109-91 at Charlotte on Friday. Hawks rookie John Collins, who attended Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, is averaging 11.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in three games this season. Along with Schroder, Atlanta is expected to be without DeAndre’ Bembry (fractured right wrist) and Miles Plumlee (strained right quad). The Heat will also be without Rodney McGruder (leg).

graymule wrote::noway:

Injury bug bites Hawks early and often. Just when we thought things couldn't get worse, it did.

5 on the road, then only one at home. I believe this one home game is against Millsap and his new team.

All Atlanta pro teams, except for soccer, seems to be in trouble, don't they. -

Maybe, after 15 or 20 games, things will settle down for the Hawks and they can win again. We hope so.

On the plus side, this season's team has hit a good % of their free throws !! -

GO ATL

Spud2nique wrote:Collins slams on BAM BAM...he didn't get rival big man Jarrett Allen yesterday (almost)...but today he leaves a spalding imprint on Bam's forehead.

Note to Collins: Watch ur fellow Wake Forest alumni Duncan and use the glass every now n then...fans will think your smart.

jayu70 wrote:

Spud2nique wrote:Collins slams on BAM BAM...he didn't get rival big man Jarrett Allen yesterday (almost)...but today he leaves a spalding imprint on Bam's forehead.

Note to Collins: Watch ur fellow Wake Forest alumni Duncan and use the glass every now n then...fans will think your smart.

Don't tell mac-d that . Dunk or nothing.

ATL Boy wrote:This is such bad basketball, we're such a bad basketball team and I'm upset with myself that I care this much about it.


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