Well, here we go again. It's another Mavericks game day, and the only thing Mavs fans can count on is the inconsistencies of this team.

The Mavs take on the Miami Heat after dropping a game at home to the Charlotte Hornets. The game wasn't pretty and the Mavs got outplayed at all levels. It got bad enough that Luka Doncic, who went 0-5 from three, stayed behind in the arena to get extra shots up. He needs to find his rhythm.

"I think my legs are really tired, but that’s not an excuse,” Doncic said. “I don’t think it’s the problem. Obviously, the problem was shooting."

Luka Doncic was 4-10 from the floor and 0-5 from 3 tonight. He ended the game with 12 points. Rick Carlisle said he "doesn't have his rhythm yet." Doncic is now working on his shot after the game. pic.twitter.com/XJVM2bpzud

— The Kobe Beef (@TheKobeBeef) December 31, 2020

Hopefully, this postgame workout brings the best out of Luka going forward. If not, he'll need to take a serious look at his conditioning and building up the necessary stamina for the long NBA season.

Top storylines heading into game day:

• The Mavs need to figure out how to deal with Bam Adebayo early. Adebayo is a matchup nightmare for this team. He's a big that can play above the rim, defend, and play make for the Heat. He's a great passer out of the high post. And with shooters surrounding him, limiting paint touches will be difficult. With Maxi Kleber reported as questionable for tonight's game, Dwight Powell and Willie Cauley-Stein have their hands full.
• Dallas needs to fix its rebounding problem if it hopes to compete at a high level. As of today, the Mavs are the worst rebounding team in the NBA. The Heat grant Dallas a perfect opportunity to right the ship. Miami is ranked 26th in rebounding, and if Dallas can outrebound the heat, it can control the pace of the game.
• Dallas has a great opportunity to win the turnover battle against Miami. Surprisingly, the Mavs do not turn the ball over at a high rate. Miami, on the other hand, is fairly careless with the ball due to a young backcourt. If the Mavs can tur Miami over and get out in transition, the offense can get a bevy of easy looks to get going early in the content.

Projected lineups:

Dallas Mavericks	Miami Heat
PG: Luka Doncic	PG: Avery Bradley
SG: Josh Richardson	SG: Jimmy Butler (Day-to-Day)
SF: Tim Hardaway Jr.	SF: Tyler Herro
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith	PF: Duncan Robinson
C: Dwight Powell	C: Bam Adebayo

Last notes heading into gameday:

The Mavs need to right the ship. It isn't time to panic, but the team is desperate for a quality win. Beating this Miami team is just that. Doncic has to play fast and efficiently. And the Mavs need to win the rebounding battle. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest and NBA League Pass.

Feature image via Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports