On Wednesday night, the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors, both seeking to elevate themselves from the early-season middle ground.
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On Wednesday night, the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors, both seeking to elevate themselves from the early-season middle ground, will go head-to-head. As of now, Miami holds the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings after completing 20 games.
Under the guidance of first-year coach Darko Rajakovic, the Raptors find themselves in the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference after completing 20 games. There’s optimism for the Heat’s potential improvement as key players recover from injuries and with the prospect of more home games, where they boast a 5-3 record.
On the road, they’ve maintained a steady 6-6 standing. Notably, they’ve been without Tyler Herro (ankle), who was contributing an average of 22.9 points, for 12 games, and his return might be delayed for another week.
For the Raptors, Dick and Koloko will not be playing the game due to illness. As for the Heat, Adebayo, Hampton, Herro, Highsmith, and Smith will be sitting this one out due to injuries.
Bam Adebayo, who typically contributes 22.3 points per game, was sidelined on Saturday due to a hip contusion and is unlikely to hit the court on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler has been absent for four games this season, and Caleb Martin sat out the initial 10 games.
With a home record of 6-5, the Raptors have evenly divided the initial two games of their ongoing three-game homestand. Notably, the team hasn’t secured a three-game winning streak yet. Coach Rajakovic has a playful incentive, promising to foot the bill for a team dinner once that elusive three-game victory sequence is achieved. The Raptors are in the ongoing process of defining and solidifying their identity.
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