MIAMI HEAT (5-7) vs. TORONTO RAPTORS (5-8)
(at Tampa)
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Amalie Arena, Tampa,
TV: Sportsnet One; RADIO AM-1050
SCOUTING REPORT
The Heat snapped a three-game losing streak with a six-point win over Detroit on Monday but have not really hit their stride without a consistent dose of Jimmy Butler, who has played just six games to date and is poised to miss the next four. Butler, like Kyle Lowry in Toronto, is the heart and soul of the Heat lineup. Making a determination about how good this team or isn’t without him in the lineup consistently is a fool’s errand. Complicating the matter are the absences of Avery Bradley, who won’t play tonight, and Tyler Herro, who is listed as questionable.
MARQUEE MATCHUP: Bam Adebayo vs. Aron Baynes
Baynes hasn’t lasted very long in any of his starts, but the Raptors keep running him out there in hopes of him finding a level of comfort within the team defence. He has been on a short leash and, more often than not, forces Nick Nurse and his staff to go small, but he’ll start on Adebayo, who has been the Heat’s leading scorer and rebounder though 12 games.
DID YOU KNOW?
In addition to Butler and Bradley being already listed as out for the game, the Heat will also be missing Meyers Leonard, who is out with a shoulder injury. Listed as probable for the game is Goran Dragic, who is nursing a sore right foot … With all the injuries and virus concerns, the Heat have already used nine different starting lineups in 12 games … Duncan Robinson is a concern wherever he is on the court with the ball in his hands. He knocked down the 300th career three-pointer of his young career in just his 95th game, the fastest a player in league history has reached that feat … This is the first of two consecutive games between the two teams in Tampa. The two sides tip-off again on Friday.
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