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The Miami Heat will cross the border to take on the Toronto Raptors in a Wednesday night NBA matchup at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Heat-Raptors prediction and pick, laid out below.
Miami has gone 7-7 this season, including a current three-game winning streak. Miami is now in tenth place in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has been at the helm of Miami for 15 seasons, making 11 playoff appearances highlighted by two championships.
Toronto has begun their season at 8-7, sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors snapped a two-game losing streak with a victory over Detroit on Monday night. Head coach Nick Nurse is in his fifth season with Toronto, making three playoff appearances including an NBA championship in his first season.
Here are the Heat-Raptors NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Heat-Raptors Odds
Miami Heat: -1.5 (-110)
Toronto Raptors: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 216 (-110)
Under: 216 (-110)
Article Continues Below
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
Jimmy Butler leads the team with 21.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Simply, the Heat go as Jimmy Butler goes. Now, with Tyler Herro set to miss time with an ankle injury, Butler's contributions become ever more important to Miami. Bam Adebayo, who is questionable for tonight's game, leads the team with 9.1 rebounds per game, and is third with 19.1 points per game. Adebayo is shooting an impressive 53.1 percent from the field. Point guard Kyle Lowry is second on the team with 5.8 assists per game, averaging 13.1 points per game. Lowry has turned back the clock, and now will have a chip on his shoulder facing his former team. Max Strus has seen increased playing time with the injuries surrounding the team, starting his last seven appearances. Strus has averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field.
Miami ranks eighth in the league with 8.0 steals per game, although Toronto turns the ball over the least amount in the league. Miami has averaged 110.7 points per game, which ranks 20th in the league. The Heat leads the league by making their free throws at an 86.8 percent clip. Toronto fouls opponents 20.7 times per game.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
Pascal Siakam leads the team with 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. Siakam is out for at least another week with an adductor strain, meaning others will have to step up in his absence. OG Anunoby leads the team with 2.7 steals per game, ranking third with 17.3 points per game. Fred VanVleet ranks second with 18.4 points, 6.8 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. VanVleet is questionable with an illness. Scottie Barnes has dished out 4.9 assists while pulling down 6.5 rebounds while scoring 13.4 points per game. Gary Trent, Jr. has averaged 16.6 points per game on 41.5 percent shooting.
Toronto leads the league with 10.7 steals per game, although Miami does not turn the ball over very often. Toronto is also the best team in the league at limiting their turnovers. Toronto is averaging 111.9 points per game, which ranks 16th in the league. Miami's defense has been solid though, so Toronto could struggle to score a bit. The Raptors have been great on defense, ranking ninth by allowing 109.5 points per game.
Final Heat-Raptors Prediction & Pick
Two good defenses should limit the scoring in this one. Both teams have significant injuries, but Toronto actually has fewer.
Final Heat-Raptors Prediction & Pick: Toronto +1.5 (-110), under 216 (-110)
