The Miami Heat are on the road, matching up against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night.
The Miami Heat (22-17) are coming off of an103-102 Sunday afternoon victory over the Utah Jazz, and are trying to win their fifth straight game.
Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson lead the Heat in scoring against the Jazz with 16 points each, while both James Johnson (13 points and 11 rebounds) and Hassan Whiteside (14 points and 10 rebounds) managed to rack up double-doubles. However, it was Josh Richardson’s impact late in the game, that gave Miami the win.
Richardson finished with 14 points, seven assists, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks; making an impact on several plays down the stretch. But Richardson’s best play came in the final 7.8 seconds of the game, when he drove to the basket for a clutch layup that gave the Heat the lead with 5.1 seconds remaining.
Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell had an opportunity to win the game for his team with a mid-range jump shot, but missed, giving the Heat their fourth straight win in a row and their eleventh win in their last fifteen games.
Now the Heat must turn their attention towards the Toronto Raptors (28-10), who are coming off of an 114-113 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Raptors have been straight up dominant at home, owning an impressive 14-1 record this season in games played at Air Canada Centre. And while the Heat, currently fifth in the Eastern Conference, have a respectable road record of 11-8, they’ll have to be at the top of their game if they want to knock off the Raptors, who are currently second in the East.
The game is the first of a back-to-back set for the Heat, as they’ll face the Pacers in Indiana on Wednesday.
Miami will once again be without Dion Waiters (ankle), Justise Winslow (knee), Rodney McGruder (leg), and Okaro White (foot). As for the Raptors, Kyle Lowry will likely have to sit this one out. The guard fell hard on his back after a play under the basket on Monday night, his knees buckling under him after he was slow to get up. Fortunately however, it was diagnosed as a bruised tailbone, a fairly minor injury.
The Miami Heat took advantage of their recent schedule, but now they must prepare to play eleven of their next fourteen games on the road, beginning Tuesday against the Raptors.
Next: Inside the Miami Heat's final possession against the Utah Jazz
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET.