Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat: Eastern Conference Matchup Against A Familiar Opponent

Familiar foes square off once again as the Raptors travel to Miami for their third matchup of the season against the Heat.

For the third time in a two-week span, the Toronto Raptors are Miami Heat will face off tonight. These opponents are well acquainted with each other after a home and home series to wrap up November and begin December, where the teams each won on home court.

Winning on the road has been nearly impossible this season for the Raptors, who currently sit at 1-11 when not playing at home. It’ll be even harder tonight, as Scottie Barnes will miss his first game after going down with an ankle injury Monday night at home against the Knicks.

The Raptors faired pretty well after Barnes’s return from an eye injury that kept him out for a stretch of November, but they’re now again without their All-Star point forward. At least the team still has two of their three leading scorers, in RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick. One of these this duo has led the team in scoring in five out of their past six games, the lone off night going to Scottie Barnes.

Barrett is coming off a strong performance against his former team, the New York Knicks. As have many Raptors games this season, a strong scoring performance from Barrett was outdone by their opponent late in the game and Toronto added another L to the column.

Gradey Dick unfortunately was of no help Monday night, shooting 3/11 from the floor and 1/5 from deep. The young guard will look to bounce back after an unusually cold shooting night against a team that will let you take threes in the Miami Heat.

Speaking of tonight’s opposition, not everything is so rosy in Miami, either. Despite winning three in a row, putting them right back up into a tie for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, rumours emerged that the Heat were shopping their All-NBA wing, Jimmy Butler.

Butler’s agent publicly refuted the claims that his client was being shopped, but where’s there smoke there’s sometimes fire.

A large underdog, the Raptors will attempt to put out the flames on the Heat’s recent hot stretch and get themselves back in the win column tonight in Miami.

Probable Starters:

Toronto: Davion Mitchell, Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, Jakob Poeltl

Miami: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith, Bam Adebayo

Injuries:

Toronto: Immanuel Quickley — OUT (elbow), Bruce Brown — OUT (knee), Scottie Barnes — OUT (ankle)

Miami: Josh Richardson — OUT (foot), Jimmy Butler — PROBABLE (knee), Pelle Larsson — DOUBTFUL (ankle)

How to Watch:

7:30pm ET on Sportsnet