Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

The Miami Heat will play their fifth straight road game Friday night against the Denver Nuggets.  The Heat are hoping to avoid losing three games in a row.

In a battle of East vs. West, the Heat look to avenge their last two games, which were crushing overtime losses. 

Both teams are off to great starts this year, and many consider them both to be in the top five teams around the league. 

It may be early in the season, but this game is crucial because these are the games the elite teams are supposed to win. Beating the top talent from around the NBA gives the roster great confidence moving forward. 

With that said, let's take a look at some specifics of this Friday night showdown. 

When: Friday, Jan. 13 at 10:30 p.m. ET 

Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Listen: WINZ 940 AM in Miami, KKFN 9:50 AM in Denver 

Betting Line: Miami (-3.5)  

Miami Injury Report 

*According to CBS Sports

SF Mike Miller (hernia): OUT

C Eddie Curry (hip flexor): OUT

Denver Injury Report 

*According to CBS Sports

PG Ty Lawson (foot): Probable  

What's at Stake? 

It's only the 12th game for these teams, but since they play in different conferences, it's important for each team to know it can hang with the elites from around the league.

Miami just lost to two decent Western Conference teams in the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, which means Friday night's game is of great importance to them.

For the Nuggets, a win is vital for them because it would give them great satisfaction knowing they took down the mighty Heat. 

What They're Saying 

Joseph Goodman covers the Heat for the Miami Herald, and he tweeted one of the reasons the team lost its most recent game. 

Should the Heat flop on the free throw line again, it will most certainly doom them.

These are easy buckets for the Heat, but failing to make them is extremely costly, as it allows the opposing team a much better shot at winning. 

Chris Dempsey covers the Nuggets for the Denver Post, and he tweeted some recent news that will have a big impact on the game. 

The CBSSports injury page did not list Dwyane Wade, but Dempsey has the inside info and tweeted it out not too long ago. 

Not having Wade tonight would be huge for the Nuggets. Miami is light years better when Wade is on the floor, but without him, it puts more pressure on the rest of the roster to play better.

LeBron James will have to score more should Wade be unable to play, which is no problem. However, scoring late in the game might be an issue for him. 

Miami Player to Watch 

With Wade possibly out for Friday night's game, the player to watch becomes James. The superstar leads the team and is second in the NBA in scoring—averaging 29 points per game. 

Even if Wade does end up playing, James still has to step up. Most are labeling the Heat as the best team in the league, and it's time they act like it and avoid losing close games.

Closing out games was a struggle for James and Miami in the past, so if it gets that way against Denver, they have to make sure to put the game away when it matters most.  

Denver Player to Watch 

Danilo Gallinari leads the Nuggets in scoring, averaging 17 points per game. He's gone off a couple of times this season, and in Friday night's contest against the Heat, Denver needs him to do exactly that.

Gallinari is arguably the best player for the Nuggets, and they need him to have a superb game tonight. If he steps up against such an elite team, it will show Denver that he is the player they need to continue to build around in order to win a championship. 

 

Key Matchup 

Since these are the two highest scoring teams in the NBA, the key matchup is all about defense. The team that shows up and actually plays defense will win this game. 

Expect this to be a close game throughout, but if one team is able to make big stops late in the fourth quarter, it should result in a victory. Miami averages 106 points per game this season and Denver averages 103. 

Prediction 

Miami 102, Denver 98