Game of the Day: Raptors at Heat

Dwyane Wade and the Heat have given the Raptors a headache over the years. (Photo credit: Keith Allison via Foter.com / CC BY-SA)


The Toronto Raptors visit the Miami Heat tonight in a collision of two Eastern Conference division leaders. The Raps are 16-11 to lead the Atlantic, while the Heat’s 15-9 mark paces the Southeast.

You can watch this one tonight on TSN, beginning at 8 p.m. It’s always exciting to have some money on the game, so let’s see if we can find an edge.

Raptors at Heat NBA Betting Odds

Pinnacle Sports opened the NBA betting line on this game as the Heat -3.5, but Miami was quickly bet to -4. Money came in on the Heat again Friday morning, pushing Miami to a 5-point favourite at most sportsbooks. By Friday afternoon, the spread was 4.5 at most sportsbooks.

The Over/Under started at 188.5 and had been bet down to 187 by Friday afternoon.

Raptors at Heat Game Preview

Toronto is playing its second game in as many nights, falling in overtime to the Charlotte Hornets Thursday. The Raps came back from 16 points down in that game and had to expend a lot of energy, which could cost them tonight especially since they’re already playing without starters DeMarre Carroll and Jonas Valanciunas.

Miami has won three straight, which puts it on the verge of its longest winning streak in nearly two years. The Heat leads the Eastern Conference in both points allowed per game and shooting percentage allowed.

Miami has owned the Raptors over the years, winning 16 straight meetings before Toronto snapped that streak last year. The Heat also routed the Raptors 96-76 last month in Miami.

Raptors at Heat NBA Betting Pick

Toronto usually plays its best when it is counted out. The Raptors are 9-2 against the spread this season as underdogs, and they’re also 5-2 against the spread on the road when coming off a loss. This team is quite good at bouncing back from subpar efforts like the one in Charlotte.

While Toronto is in a position to rebound, the Heat is not. The team is just 5-9 against the spread following a win, including 3-6 at home. This indicates Miami tends to get complacent and doesn’t play up to expectations when things are going well.

With the Raptors being the hungrier team tonight, we expect them to be able to keep things close.

Our NBA Betting Pick tonight is Raptors +4.5. (You can make this bet at -105 odds at Pinnacle Sports, with its reduced juice odds, or Bodog, which often shades its lines towards favourites. You can also get -110 odds on this bet, Sports Interaction, BetOnline or William Hill.)