Who's Playing?
Matchup: Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat
Records: Raptors (16-16), Heat (14-17)
Where to Watch
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 24
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: TSN 4 / TSN 5 (Canada), Fox Sports Sun or NBA League Pass (USA)
Location: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Game Preview
The Raptors and Heat meet for the third and final time in the first half of the 2020-21 NBA season.
The Raptors and Heat have split the series to this point, winning one game each. The Heat took the first meeting, defeating the Raptors by a final score of 111-102, led by Bam Adebayo's near triple-double and Kendrick Nunn's 28 points. The Raptors took the second meeting, blowing the Heat out by a final score of 101-81 behind Norman Powell's 23 points and OG Anunoby's 21 points.
Real G's move in silence
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 23, 2021
21 Pts | 5 3PM | 4 Reb | 2 Stl@OAnunoby | #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/do10PP2pGB
A lot has changed for both teams since.
Following a slow start to the season, the Raptors have been one of the hottest teams in the league lately. They've won six of their last 10 games, with three of those wins coming against two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference in the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Raptors are now at .500 on the season, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
MORE: Fred VanVleet's defensive brilliance in one play
The Heat are still three games below .500, but they're starting to look more like the team made the NBA Finals last season, winning seven of their last 10 games.
Jimmy Butler has led the charge for the Heat lately. Since returning to the lineup on Jan. 30, he's averaging 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.6 rebounds per game. He's recorded four triple-doubles in the last two weeks, tying him with Giannis Antetokounmpo for the fourth-most triple-doubles in the league on the season.
Butler and Adebayo recently made history by becoming the first pair of teammates to ever record triple-doubles in the same game multiple times, per Elias Sports.
MORE: Butler is back and so are the Heat
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are the only pair of teammates in NBA history to each record a triple-double in the same game multiple times 🔥 🤯
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 19, 2021
(via @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/4wfI5WpYq9
Butler missed Miami's first two games against Toronto this season. In his career, he's averaging 19.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game against the Raptors.
Although the Raptors are on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off of a loss to the 76ers on Tuesday, Wednesday's matchup will be a good test for both teams.
Injury Report
Raptors
Kyle Lowry (left thumb) – Probable
Heat
Avery Bradley (right calf strain) — Out
Meyers Leonard (left shoulder surgery) — Out
Goran Dragic (left ankle sprain) — Questionable
Tyler Herro (right hip contusion) — Questionable
Chris Silva (left hip flexor strain) — Questionable
Gabe Vincent (right knee soreness) — Probable
Raptors vs. Heat: Betting odds, spread, over/under
Spread: Raptors +3.0 (-110), Heat -3.0 (-110)
Raptors Moneyline: +130
Heat Moneyline: -150
Over/under: 214.5 (-110)
* Odds courtesy of William Hill Sports Book
Last Time They Played
Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Score: Raptors 101, Heat 81
Raptors: Norman Powell — 23 PTS (10-18 FG), 3 REB, 2 STL
Heat: Kendrick Nunn — 22 PTS (8-16 FG), 5 AST, 4 REB, 3 STL
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