The Miami Heat will take on the Toronto Raptors on Monday with hopes of getting their second consecutive win. A look at three things to watch for.
The Miami Heat got a win in their first of eight regular-season games they’ll play before going on to the playoffs. Can they do it again on Monday against the Toronto Raptors?
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo pushed the team over an injured Denver Nuggets on Saturday. They combined for 44 points, 13 assists, and 13 rebounds. The Heat’s two All-Stars appear well-conditioned and as ready as ever to the surprise of none.
The Toronto Raptors are too, though, with their first game of the bubble a statement win over LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Kyle Lowry went off for 33 points and dished 14 dimes, with OG Anunoby backing him up behind 23 points of his own.
A look at some things to watch as the Heat and Raptors battle it out in Orlando.
Will Meyers Leonard suit up against Toronto?
The biggest surprise from Miami’s restart opener was head coach Erik Spoelstra’s decision to roll out a new starting lineup. He opted for Jae Crowder at power forward and Bam Adebayo at center as opposed to Meyers Leonard at the five, where he’s started all 49 games he’s played.
Leonard’s having a strong season for the Heat and has been a near-perfect fit for Spoelstra’s system, especially on the offensive end. He’s averaging 6.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while knocking down 43 percent of his shots from behind the arc.
After not playing at all against Denver, will Leonard suit up against the Raptors?
Can Kendrick Nun Get Past the Raptors Defense?
There isn’t much info to pull from the two games Miami and Toronto have played this year.
The results were largely on opposite ends of the spectrum. One was incredibly low scoring, one was an overtime shootout. But in both games (Miami is 2-0), Kendrick Nunn struggled.
Over the two matchups with Toronto, he’s scored just 14 points on 6-of-30 shooting from the field, and 1-of-18 shooting from deep. It’s likely the worst Nunn’s played against any one team this year. He’s had success passing the ball though, with 15 assists over those two games.
The Raptors have two dogged defenders in both of their point guards, Lowry and Fred VanVleet. Past them is just a wall of length in Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka; so it’s not surprising to see Nunn’s struggled against Toronto this year. Can he break the trend on Monday?
Who’s Going to Guard Siakam, Jimmy, or Bam?
Coach Spoelstra made one thing very clear on Saturday against the Nuggets: either Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo will be guarding the opposing team’s best player, no matter how big. They each took turns guarding Nikola Jokic in the Heat’s win over Denver.
So you’ve got to think they’ll each be spending a lot of time with Siakam, who’s the Raptors leading scorer at 23 and a half points per game nightly. He’s liable to go off any night, but only scored 15 points in the one game he was available against Miami this year.
Watch for Butler to take on Siakam whenever the two share the floor. Adebayo’s also going to have to keep an eye on both Ibaka and Marc Gasol, who are comfortable at the three-point line.
Another name to keep in mind is Andre Iguodala. If Butler’s resting, he’s probably next man up.
The Miami Heat will look to make it two straight wins on Monday against the 2019 NBA champion Toronto Raptors. Tip-off is at 1:30 pm est, and coverage can be found on NBA TV.