The Toronto Raptors (47-19) will lock horns with the Miami Heat (31-34) at the American Airlines Arena for an Eastern Conference clash. Tip-off is set for 3:30 PM and scheduled to be televised on FSN. The Heat and Raptors last met in Miami in December in what was nothing short of a thriller. The Raptors edged out the Heat by a score of 106-104. As a 2.5-point underdog, the Heat was able to produce a narrow cover.
Toronto Heat at Miami Heat Overview
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors snapped a two-game losing streak with style on Friday when they thumped the New Orleans Pelicans in their own stead by a score of 127-104. Toronto was able to foster an easy cover closing as a 9.5-point favorite.
Miami Heat
The Heat step into this contest on a four-game winning streak. Miami was in action on Friday when they hosted the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers and defeated them 126-110. As a nine-point favorite, the Heat was able to produce a cover with ease.
Reasons To Back Toronto
The Raptors have played good basketball on the road all year long as they sit at 20-12 SU outside of Toronto. Contrarily, the Heat have struggled mightily on their own floor producing a 15-18 SU mark on their own hardwood. As a result, any element of home court advantage is nullified and this plays ideally into Toronto’s hands as they are the superior team on paper. Offensively, the Raptors sit eighth in the NBA in scoring as they average 113.9 points per game. The Heat sit 27th in this category as their offense averages just 105.8 points per contest. This 8.1-point differential will be instrumental no matter how Miami approaches this match-up whether they try to make it a defensive clash on their terms or ball and make it offense first.
Reasons To Avoid Miami
The Raptors are not a team to take anyone lightly. It is for this reason that Toronto sits 27-3 SU against teams with a below .500 record this season. Contrarily, the Heat have displayed an inability to hang with the big boys as they are just 12-21 SU against teams with a record greater than .500.
- Get more details: Toronto at Miami NBA Match-up
