Three games into the season, the Miami Heat are still searching for their first win. That makes Monday night’s 7:30 PM EDT home game against the Dallas Mavericks feel like an early turning point. Miami is 0-3 through Saturday, while Dallas is 1-2, and both teams arrive after losses on Oct. 24. Yet this matchup is also a meeting between two teams building around powerful new chapters.

Miami’s chapter begins with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The nearly seven-foot forward has been a force right away, scoring 28.3 points per game while making 57.1 percent of his shots. He is at his most dangerous when he grabs a rebound, races down the floor, and storms toward the rim. Dallas must form a wall in the paint, the area near the basket, before Giannis reaches full speed.

Bam Adebayo is the other giant piece of Miami’s plan. He brings quick hands, shown by his two steals per game, and he can help guard smaller, faster players or battle bigger ones inside. Together, Giannis and Bam give the Heat a frontcourt that can move like a pair of closing gates. Andrew Wiggins adds another athletic defender on the wing, but Miami needs more help from its shooters. The Heat have made only 30.3 percent of their three-point shots, and that allows defenses to crowd Giannis near the rim.

Dallas has shown a sharper shooting touch, making 50.8 percent of its field-goal attempts. Rookie star Cooper Flagg has led that charge in his first two games, averaging 23 points with 60.9 percent shooting. At 6-foot-9, Flagg can score, rebound, pass, and swipe the ball away; his three steals per game show how quickly he can flip defense into offense. Kyrie Irving gives Dallas another creator who can weave through defenders and make difficult shots.

Still, the Mavericks have a problem they must solve in Miami: they average 19 turnovers per game. A turnover happens when a team loses the ball before taking a shot, and extra lost possessions can fuel the Heat’s fast breaks. Dallas also has injury uncertainty. Flagg and center Dereck Lively II were listed out with expected returns on Monday, so their status will matter greatly before tipoff. Without Lively, the Mavericks could have a tougher time protecting the rim against Miami’s big duo.

Dallas showed its potential in a 121-105 win over Indiana, but its two losses have both come by double digits. Miami has also faced difficult losses, including Saturday’s 115-110 defeat against Charlotte. The Heat need their new stars to turn close moments into stops, rebounds, and strong finishes.

Dallas has the shooting and young energy to make this a fast, tricky challenge. But Miami is at home, has protected the ball better than Dallas, and has the strongest player in the matchup charging toward the basket. Prediction: The Heat earn their first win behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Gives Miami a New Chance Against Dallas