Raptors Will Continue Their Winning Ways

Miami Heat @ Toronto Raptors

Wednesday January 27 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto

While Super Bowl betting is the hot topic right now, it is still over a week away and there is a lot of critical action going on in the NBA. With Miami coming off a loss to the Eastern Conference leading Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto coming off a close win to Western Conference leading Los Angeles Lakers, this should be a great game in the battle for fifth place in the eastern conference.

Primetime Performers

Heat: This team revolves around Dwyane Wade and online betting trends show the Heat will win or lose depending on what he can do against the Raptors.  He was out duelled by Lebron James last game but in averaging 27 points and 6.2 assists, you can expect another big night for the Marquette product.

Raptors: A fellow 2005 first round pick Chris Bosh will head up the attack for Toronto. The scoring and rebounding leader will have a big game against the Heat.  There is not a player on that team that can guard him.  Expect him to lead the team in points and rebounds a game.

X-Factors

Heat: Jermaine O’Neal will have the tough task of controlling one of the league’s best big men. In the last meeting, in Miami, O’Neal did a reasonable job but will have to step up his game on the road.

Raptors: Rookie Demar DeRozan had the tough task of guarding Kobe Bryant in the Raptors game on Sunday against the Lakers.  There will be no rest for him as he will start opposite to Wade. If DeRozan can keep Wade from running wild until the defensive specialist Antoine Wright can come off the bench, the Raptors will have a good chance of winning.

Offensive Matchup

Miami lives and dies on the skills of Wade.  They will need players like Michael Beasley and O’Neal to step up and score points if they want to contest with Toronto’s high powered offence.

Toronto has the advantage in this game.  It can score at will and has tools that it can exploit all over the floor.  They are stronger at four of the five positions and the combination of Andrea Bargnani and Bosh, who average over 40 points per game, should have no trouble putting the ball in the basket.

Defensive Matchup

The Heat have been good defensively, however they do not have the length and size to match up against the Raptors. Last game Beasley was forced to match up against one of the Toronto bigs which allowed for good post chances for Toronto.

Toronto is not known for its defence however its statistics at home are far better than on the road. Giving up an average of just over 100 points per game, they have held opponents to an average of 96 points over their last three home games.  For a team that regularly scores over 100, that meant wins.

Betting Recommendations

Bookmaker reviews show that when these two teams met earlier in the season it was a high scoring affair and betters picking the over have gotten paid in each of the last five meetings between the clubs.  The home team has won the matchup between these two teams by at least seven points in the two meetings this season and with the Raptors winning 12 of their last 17 games so the betting lines should favour them.

Pick: Raptors