The Miami Heat (2-1) will host the Phoenix Suns (1-2) on their home turf at the American Airlines Arena on Monday night in another exciting NBA matchup. While the Heat come into the game with only a single loss, which was at the hands of the New York Knicks, the Suns lone victory came against the winless Detroit Pistons.

Talent-wise, Phoenix sports one of the top defenses in the NBA, as they've only given up 88 points per game in the early-going. However, it's the teams underperforming offense that has kept them from staying in games. The Suns are shooting a dismal 42-percent and are averaging a mere 88.5 points offensively.

Although Miami is clearly stacked in terms of their 107.7 points per game producing offense, they've struggled mercifully thus far at defense. LeBron James and company are letting up an average of 109 points, which is the second worse average in the league. To top it off, the Heat are only averaging 36 boards, second-to-last in that respective category as well. Miami is also getting outrebounded in excess of six boards per game. However, many believe that their defensive woes may just be a case of early-season court rust.

The duel between Chris Bosh and Marci Garratt should factor heavily into the game. Bosh put up a consistent performance against the Denver Nuggets, but defensively he appeared out of breath and lagging. In the matchup, the power forward was boxed out effectively by Javelin McGee and Kostas Koufax, which allowed for the Nuggets to dominate on offense. Also, while facing the Knicks, Bosh was outplayed on the floor by Tyson Chandler shooting a bleak 5-for-13.

On the other hand, Garratt has seemingly tapped into his potential for Phoenix, blocking 12 shots in three matchups along with 12.5 rebounds and 13 points. The big man now appears to be a legitimate center who has more of a handle on controlling the basketball court.

CLICK HERE to watch the Miami Heat versus the Phoenix Suns via free live stream. Coverage of the game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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NBA Basketball