The Heat will be looking for a much needed bounce back and 1st win of the season.
GAME STORY
After dropping both games played against two Eastern Conference playoff teams to start the season at home, it is now the Toronto Raptors turn to steal a win in South Beach. The Miami Heat are in need of a big bounce back and look to get on the board with their first win of the season. Last season these two teams went 2-2 against each other with all being pretty close games. They match up well, and I don’t expect tonight’s game to be any different.
Toronto doesn’t have many people listed as out. Just Otto Porter Jr along with both Chris Boucher and Khem Birch being questionable. There has not been an official injury report for Miami yet, but it’s expected that Victor Oladipo and Omer Yurtseven will be in street clothes once again.
To win this game, Miami needs to tighten up their defense. Everybody, Caleb Martin especially in that first unit, needs to do a better job at rotating over and giving that help defense. Along with more boxing out and tenacity all across the board. This is not a Heat defense that fans are accustomed to seeing so far this season. However, they just need one good performance to get the littlest bit of momentum and confidence going.
Miami needs to provide good one on one defense as well, as there are numerous players in that Toronto starting line up that are capable of heating up. Watch out for Fred VanVleet, who is most likely going to open the game guarded by his former teammate in Kyle Lowry. VanVleet was an All-Star last year and has that ability to torch opposing defenses.
ODDS (via DraftKings)
The odds can be found at DraftKings. The Heat are a -2.5 on the spread and the game as a 215.5 over/under the line.
BROADCAST INFO
TV: Bally Sports Florida
TIPOFF: 8:00 PM EST
RADIO: The Ticket 790AM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson, Ruth Riley Hunter)
SPANISH RADIO: WAQI 710AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda, Joe Pujala)
Be sure to look out for the Hot Hot Hoops game thread tonight and chat with Heat fans live!