Wednesday night at Staples Center will feature two teams angry after tough road losses on Tuesday night. The Los Angeles Clippers, who lost 105-97 in Portland, return home to host LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat, who lost in overtime to Golden State on Tuesday, just their second loss of the season.
The Clippers fell Tuesday night in Portland to a Blazers team that saw all five starters score in double figures. However, the Clippers return home Wednesday night, where they have won three straight games and are 19-6 in their last 25 home games at Staples Center.
Last season, the Clippers beat the Heat in Los Angeles to snap a nine-game Miami winning streak. James is having a typically superb season, averaging 29.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. This season, aside from Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat have found a reliable bench scorer in rookie Norris Cole, averaging 10.4 points per game so far for Miami. Cole, a 6'2" guard, is perhaps most known for having a 42-point, 20-rebound, nine-assist game for Cleveland State last year in what might have been the best individual college basketball game of the year.
Blake Griffin had his 20-point streak to open the season stopped at six game Tuesday night as he only scored 18 in Portland. Griffin had 24 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists in last season's home win against the Heat.
Wednesday night's 7:30 p.m. PST game will be televised by Prime Ticket and ESPN. For more news and information on Clippers basketball, be sure to read Clips Nation.