The Nightly Bounce: NBA news & highlights from Dec. 26

Miami and Orlando are set to battle it out on the court, but both teams will be without some key star players.

Thursday’s Slate of GamesPacers vs. Thunder (NBATV, League Pass, 7ET)Magic vs. Heat (League Pass, 7ET)Wizards vs. Hornets (League Pass, 7ET)Hawks vs. Bulls (League Pass, 730ET)Pelicans vs. Rockets (League Pass, 8ET)Bucks vs. Nets (League Pass, 8ET)Grizzlies vs. Raptors (League Pass, 8ET)Trail Blazers vs. Jazz (NBATV, League Pass, 10ET)Kings vs. Pistons (League Pass, 10ET)Miami’s Starting Five

The Heat will be without Jimmy Butler while the Magic will be missing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

These teams have fought through these absences all season and both remain above .500.

Top Storylines for Thursday’s Slate1. Miami and Orlando battle in a Florida rivalry. Both of these teams have been battling adversity all season, with Jimmy Butler, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero all expected to miss this game. Both teams remain above .500 and it should be fun to watch these rivals battle it out.2. Oklahoma City looks to continue outstanding form in Indiana. The Thunder have a league-best 23-5 record but they might have trouble on the road against a pesky Pacers team. Indiana comes into this matchup winning five straight and are playing just their third home game since November 30.3. Milwaukee looks to keep rolling against Brooklyn. The Bucks come into this matchup winning 15 of their last 19 games, taking down the NBA Cup in that span. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been playing like an MVP, averaging 32.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game this season.