Gameday: Heat vs Raptors, December 6

The In-Season Tournament semi-final games have been exciting but it’s time to get back to Raptors basketball.

Kyle Lowry, aka the GROAT (to most), returns. Time flies but this is already his sixth game against the Raptors (2-3 record) and fourth in Toronto since playing nine seasons in a Raps uniform.

Heat scope: 11-9, 7th in East | Offensive Rating: 12th (114.8) | Defensive Rating: 16th (113.5)

Miami has been okay so far this season but this isn’t the time of year to evaluate the Heat. They are more than comfortable treading water in the regular season after making the Finals twice as a 5 and 8-seed in the last four years.

The Heat feature three players averaging over 22 points per game, but will be without two of them (Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo). That means leaning more on Jimmy Butler and his emo look from picture day that will most likely find its way on the broadcast for laughs. Jaime Jaquez Jr (12 ppg, 52.5% FG, 39.3 3pt) has been one of the most productive rookies so far. Lowry got his starting point guard spot back after coming off the bench in the 2023 playoffs and is shooting a career best 44 percent from three. Kyle had a throwback game with 28 points and seven treys in a win at Cleveland two weeks ago.

Raptors scope: 9-11, 11th in East | Offensive Rating: 22nd (111.3) | Defensive Rating: 13th (112.6)

The Raptors are where most figured they would be through a quarter of the season, as Samson broke down yesterday.

The offensive rating is slowly inching towards the middle of the pack. Unfortunately, so is the defence which was top 10 for most of the season. The Raptors have been consistently inconsistent so far. In Darko Rajakovic’s words, they’re still trying to “decide what team they want to be.”

The latest news is a challenge from Rajakovic to win three straight games this season. Toronto has won two in a row twice, but the third win has alluded them since March 28th last season. Ironically, that game was against Miami.

Raptors coach Darko Rajaković has pledged a self-funded 'all expense paid' team dinner if they win 3 straight games, per @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/qatofd7PdZ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 5, 2023

A win tonight would put that counter at one, after coming off a loss vs the Knicks on Friday where the Raptors were thoroughly outplayed.

Game Info

Tip-Off: 7:30pm EST | TV: TSN 1/3/4/5/4K | Radio: Sportsnet 590

Heat Lineup

Big list here. Bam Adebayo (hip), Tyler Herro (ankle) and Haywood Highsmith (back) all are not making the trip. R.J. Hampton (knee) will be out for a while. Dru Smith (knee) is out for the season. Cole Swider is with the G-League.

(this is a hard one to predict with so many moving parts. my best guess)

PG: Kyle Lowry

SG: Duncan Robinson, Josh Richardson

SF: Caleb Martin, Jamal Cain

PF: Jimmy Butler, Jaime Jaquez Jr, Nikola Jovic

C: Orlando Robinson, Kevin Love, Thomas Bryant