Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 12/04/2024, 05:00  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 12/04/2024 at 06:00 in NBA Predictions

The Miami Heat will play host to the Toronto Raptors at the Kaseya Center in the NBA on Friday evening. The hosts are 44-36 and eighth in the Easter Conference while the visitors are 25-55 and 12th in the Coonference standings. 

The Raptors, already out of playoff contention, are heading into their final two games of the season, both against Miami. They suffered their second consecutive loss and their 17th in the last 19 games, narrowly falling to the Nets in their recent road matchup. Immanuel Quickley led the Raptors in scoring with 32 points, followed by Gradey Dick with 24 points and Javon Freeman-Liberty with 12 points. Throughout the season, Toronto has struggled on both offense and defense. They currently rank 20th in scoring offense, averaging 112.6 points per game, which is 4.1 points more than Miami typically allows. Defensively, the Raptors are allowing 118.7 points per game, placing them 24th in the league. Furthermore, Toronto will be missing Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl for the upcoming match.

With just two games remaining, the Miami Heat have secured a spot in the play-in tournament, holding a six-win lead over the Bulls in ninth place. Their recent home loss to the Dallas Mavericks, 111-92, saw Tyler Herro leading the team with 21 points, followed by Caleb Martin with 14 points, and Jimmy Butler with 12. Miami currently ranks 27th in scoring offense in the NBA, averaging 109.9 points per game, which is 8.8 points less than the 118.7 points allowed by the Raptors. However, their defensive prowess has been a significant asset, as they rank fourth in the league, allowing just 108.5 points per game. Notably, their defense is particularly stout on the road, where they concede 4.0 fewer points compared to home games. Miami will be missing Josh Richardson and Duncan Robinson for their upcoming matchup.