SoCal NBA Preview

LA Clippers (20-41) at Miami (11-50), 4:30 pm

MIAMI (Ticker) -- It's been a forgettable season for the Miami Heat, whose mounting losses include a pair of defeats on the same day. The Heat, who own the NBA's worst record, face the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday after coming off a pair of losses to Atlanta on Saturday. Miami lost the scheduled game, 97-94, following the completion of the final 51.9 seconds of a disputed 114-111 loss to the Hawks that started on December 19. The replay was ordered by the NBA, which upheld the Heat's protest of the December game in which the Atlanta stat crew incorrectly ruled that Shaquille O'Neal had fouled out in overtime. He actually had only five fouls.

The Heat and the Clippers are both 2-8 records in their last 10 games. Miami will try to avoid a third straight loss at home while attempting to finish a season sweep of Los Angeles. Dwyane Wade had 33 points and 10 assists in the Heat;s 100-94 road win over the Clippers on December 9. Los Angeles has lost two straight and eight of nine games overall, including a 99-96 home loss Saturday to Minnesota in which it blew a 13-point lead in the third quarter.