Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat: TV Schedule, Live Stream and Spread Info

The 18-6 Miami Heat will host the 9-13 Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in a clash between LeBron James' former and current teams. The Heat edged the Cavs in their previous meeting two weeks ago, so Cleveland will certainly be out for redemption.

After a disastrous 2010-11 season that allowed the Cavaliers to get the first-overall pick and select guard Kyrie Irving, the improvements are obvious. The Cavs are very much in the playoff race and Irving already looks like a stud as he is averaging over 18 points and five assists per contest.

It's no surprise that the Heat are among the elite teams in the league as they are currently second in the Eastern Conference behind the Chicago Bulls. Miami's attack has been spearheaded by James, but both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have done their fair share as well.

Miami is predictably a big favorite at home, but the Cavaliers have some talent and are always motivated to play against LeBron. The Heat will obviously have to come with their best game in order to knock off the upstart Cavs.

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Fla.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. EST

Watch: Sun Sports

Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Listen: WTAM 1100 AM (Cleveland) and 790 AM The Ticket (Miami)

Betting Line: Miami (-13)

Cavaliers Key Injuries (According to CBS Sports)

Out: PG Daniel Gibson (neck), SG Anthony Parker (back), PF Tristan Thompson (ankle)

Heat Key Injuries (According to CBS Sports)

No Injuries to Report

What's at Stake?

While both teams would benefit from a win in this game, they would gain different things.

For the Cavaliers, it would be more symbolic than anything. If Cleveland does manage to sneak into the playoffs it will likely only be as the No. 8 seed. A win over Miami won't catapult the Cavs much higher, but it will give them confidence that they can compete with the best the NBA has to offer.

For the Heat, it would just be another win against a team they're supposed to beat. While some games are more challenging than others, the Heat are pretty much expected to win every time they step onto the floor. The win might mean a little more to LeBron because of the way Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert acted when he left town, but for the Heat as a whole, a victory would simply pad their record.

What They're Saying

The Miami Heat are known across the league for their "Big Three" of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Over the past few games, however, head coach Erik Spoelstra has used Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller as well to close out games, forming a "Big Five." Wade loves the versatility of the lineup, according to Robbie Levin of the Miami Herald.

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We can do a lot of things with the lineup, Wade said. That’s good for us, when we use our length. And with myself and [James] being playmakers. You have a guy like [Miller] who can spread the floor and shoot the ball very well and [Bosh] as well. Then we’ve got [Haslem]; our rebounder and a guy who can make big shots for us. We like that lineup to close games.

"

Most Important Player to Watch: LeBron James

As with any game involving the Miami Heat, LeBron James is the player everyone will be watching. There are plenty of other stars like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Kyrie Irving, but LeBron is the league's biggest star. He has played like it this year too as he is averaging over 29 points, 8.5 rebounds and nearly seven assists per game.

When LeBron plays well, which is nearly every game, the Heat have a great chance of winning. It's safe to say that James wasn't at his best the last time these two teams met as he scored just 18 points on eight of 21 shooting, but that was likely an aberration. Provided James scores close to his averages, the Heat should have no problem winning.

Key Matchup: Anderson Varejao vs. Chris Bosh

One of the biggest reasons for the Cavaliers' improved play this season has been the play of forward Anderson Varejao. He is averaging nearly 11 points and 12 rebounds per game and has given the Cavs a true interior presence. At the same time, Chris Bosh has been a dominant force for the Heat, racking up 20 points and eight boards per contest.

With both of them playing so well, it should make for an interesting matchup. Varejao is more comfortable in the painted area, while Bosh likes to work from mid range thanks to his excellent jumper. Because of that both players will likely have to play out of their element a bit defensively. Whichever player excels will give his team a big advantage.

Prediction

Miami 101, Cleveland 90