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The Toronto Raptors will battle the Miami Heat in some NBA Cup Action. It's an Emirates Cup showdown in South Beach as we share our NBA odds series and make a Raptors-Heat prediction and pick.
The Heat won a nailbiter on Wednesday, edging out the Charlotte Hornets 98-94 on the road. Meanwhile, the Raptors dominated the New Orleans Pelicans 109-93 on the road.
The Heat lead the all-time head-to-head series 62-42. Additionally, they took three of four in this series last season, winning both home games by an average of 18.5 points. The Raptors and Heat have split the last 10 games in this series. Furthermore, the Heats are 3-2 in the last five games at Kaseya Center.
Here are the Raptors-Heat NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Raptors-Heat Odds
Toronto Raptors: +6.5 (-108)
Moneyline: +220
Miami Heat: -6.5 (-112)
Moneyline: -270
Over: 223.5 (-110)
Under: 223.5 (-110)
How To Watch Raptors vs. Heat
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: Sportsnet and FDSS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Raptors Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Raptors are struggling this season and are off to a horrible 5-14 start. Yet, there have been some positives this early, and Gradey Dick has been good early in the season as he attempts to help the Raptors get better. Dick can help a Toronto team that has struggled to score.
The Raptors rank 20th in points. They also rank 18th in field-goal shooting percentage, including 23rd from the triples. Toronto has also had inconsistency at the charity stripe, ranking 28th in free-throw shooting percentage. But they have done well on the boards, ranking fifth in rebounds. While the Raptors are seventh in assists, they have also struggled in handling the basketball, ranking 26th in turnovers. The defense could stand to improve, as they rank 18th in blocked shots.
RJ Barrett has struggled recently, having bad shooting nights, such as a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers where he went 6 for 18. Regardless, he is averaging 22.8 points per game. Barrett hopes to improve his shooting percentage, as he is hitting just 43.2 percent of his shots. Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes has done well, averaging 20 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Like Barrett, he also must shoot better, as he is hitting just 42.3 percent of his shots.
Dick has been good. However, he is hurt right now due to a calf injury. The Raptors need him, as he is averaging 18.1 points per game. Yet, he also has shooting issues, converting just 41.7 percent of his chances. Jakob Poeltl has been the most consistent player on the court. So far, he is averaging 15.5 points and 12 rebounds per game while also shooting 57.9 percent from the floor.
The Raptors will cover the spread if Barrett and Barnes can shoot the ball efficiently and Poeltl can bring down the rebounds. Then, they must contain the elite three-point shooters on the Heat.
Why the Heat Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Heat have had some rough patches this season, and Jimmy Butler was not happy with the team's progress as they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week. Overall, this offense has not produced well.
The Heat rank 15th in points. Likewise, they are 18th in field-goal shooting percentage, including seventh in three-point shooting. The Heat have struggled at the charity stripe, ranking 20th in free-throw shooting percentage. Additionally, they are inconsistent on the boards, ranking 16th in rebounds. The Heat rank 18th in assists but also rank fourth in turnovers, highlighting how careful they are with the rock.
Tyler Herro has continued to be the hero (pun intended) for the Heat, averaging 23.6 points per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor. Additionally, he has shot 41.4 percent from the triples. Butler is still one of the best in the game. He averages 18.4 points per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor. Bam Adebayo is still superb. Overall, he averages 15.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the floor.
The Heat will cover the spread if they can hit their shots from beyond the arc and gain the momentum early. Then, they must prevent Barrett and Barnes from getting hot.
Final Raptors-Heat Prediction & Pick
The Raptors are 13-6 against the spread, while the Heat are 7-9 against the odds. Moreover, the Raptors are 7-4 against the spread on the road, while the Heat are 2-5 against the odds at home. The Raptors are 5-4 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the Heat are 4-7 against the odds when facing the East.
Logic says the Heat should crush the Raptors. However, the Raptors have done a great job covering the spread, as they have been competitive despite losing most of the games. I expect that to continue as the Heat win a close one, but the Raptors cover the spread on the road.
Final Raptors-Heat Prediction & Pick: Raptors +6.5 (-108)
