Raptors vs. Heat Preview
MIAMI, FL (AP) – It’s been more than a week since the Miami Heat last had all members of their superstar trio on the floor at the same time.
They’ll likely have to wait even longer for that to happen again.
With Chris Bosh expected to sit out a second straight game, the Heat look to avoid their fifth straight loss Saturday night when they host Bosh’s former team, the Toronto Raptors.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Heat -13 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against the Raptors. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 74% of more than 57 bets for this game have been placed on the Raptors +13.
Miami (30-13) has stumbled lately, losing four straight after winning 21 of 22. Three of the losses have come by six or fewer points, including a 93-89 overtime defeat to Atlanta on Tuesday.
Bosh sat out with a sprained left ankle while LeBron James returned after missing the previous two games with the same injury. James finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds.
The Heat are 1-4 when playing without James, Bosh or Dwyane Wade and they likely will have a chance to improve that record Saturday with Bosh expected to sit out after missing practice Friday.
The losing streak doesn’t have the team concerned, however.
“When you don’t understand why you’re losing, now you’re in trouble,” Wade said. “We understand why. This is about us correcting it. The biggest thing is for us to continue to get healthy and now knowing that we might have to play with different lineups is to try to learn how to play with these lineups and learn how to win with this different teams. That’s what the good teams have done.”
Wade scored 27 points in the loss to Atlanta and has done his best carrying the team while Bosh and James have tried to get healthy. He’s averaging 28.2 points the last five games.
Coach Erik Spoelstra said he was going to look at possibly adjusting the lineup Saturday. Right now, Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Carlos Arroyo round out the starting five with Wade and James.
James said that the pieces in place just need time to adjust.
“One or two games isn’t enough to get into a rhythm,” James said. “Guys will step up. … We’re still learning. We’re going to deal with some adversity and this is one of them.”
Regardless of the lineup, Miami, which is 15-5 at home, has to feel confident about snapping its losing streak at home against Toronto (13-30), which has matched a season high with six straight losses, falling 112-72 at Orlando on Friday.
The Raptors lost 109-100 at Miami on Nov. 13. Wade had 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting, leading the Heat to their second straight win in the series and third in a row at home.
Toronto has lost five straight on the road and is concluding a five-game trip Saturday.
On Friday, it shot 35.4 percent and was outrebounded 60-44. The Raptors were within four in the third quarter, but the Magic surged to a 73-57 lead after three and outscored Toronto 39-15 in the final 12 minutes.
Andrea Bargnani had 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, more than 10 below his season average. He has scored 36 points the last three games.
“We’re playing bad,” said Bargnani, who scored 22 points in the November loss to Miami. “After every game it seems like we played worse. We have to find a way to stop this and play better.”
The Raptors haven’t lost seven in a row since Feb. 27-March 13, 2009.
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