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Heat face Nets, look for eighth straight win

Mar 15, 2007 - 3:36 PM Miami (34-29) at New Jersey (30-35) 8:00 pm EDT

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - The Miami Heat hope to take their hot streak on the road.

The Heat try to extend their season-high winning streak to eight games Thursday when they visit the New Jersey Nets, who are happy to be home.

After winning all six games on its homestand, Miami is one game behind first-place Washington in the Southeast Division. The Heat also are just three games behind Chicago for fifth place in the Eastern Conference and are rapidly climbing toward one of the top four seeds in the East and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Heat hope to continue their winning ways without superstar Dwyane Wade, who is out until at least next month with a dislocated shoulder. Miami is 8-2 with the reigning NBA Finals MVP sidelined.

However, the Heat must improve on their 12-19 road record. Five of their next nine games are away from home.

Miami will look to keep it going against New Jersey, which ended a five-game slide by winning the last two games of a six-game trek. The Nets, who have not missed the playoffs since 2001, are seventh in the East, one-half game ahead of Indiana (29-35), New York (29-35) and Orlando (30-36).

In Tuesday's 112-108 victory over New Orleans, Richard Jefferson had his best game since returning from injury, scoring 26 points.

The Nets have lost two of the three meetings with the Heat this season but posted a 91-81 victory in the last matchup December 29. However, Miami is 8-1 vs. New Jersey in the postseason over the last two years.