Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors Betting Pick & Prediction 12/1/24
At 6:00 ET, the 5th-ranked Miami Heat (-185) will travel to take on the 13th-ranked Toronto Raptors (+157) in a matchup between two Eastern Conference teams. The Heat are currently favored by 4.5 points and have won two straight games. The over/under line for this game is set at 222 points.
This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and can be seen on SN.
MIAMI HEAT VS TORONTO RAPTORS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Miami Heat -4.5
This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 6:00 ET on Sunday, December 1st.
WHY BET THE MIAMI HEAT:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 131-106 in favor of the Heat.
- Our projections have Tyler Herro finishing with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Heat finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.6% and knocking down 15 threes.
Will the Heat Defense Show Up on the Road?
Miami improved to 9-8 on the season with a 121-111 win over the Raptors on Friday. The Heat, who were favored by 7.5 points at home, covered the spread, and the game’s total of 232 points went over the pre-game line of 219.5.
A pivotal 12-0 run helped Miami take control, turning a 65-62 lead into 74-65. They dominated the 3rd quarter, outscoring Toronto 38-23, and entered the 4th with a 96-84 lead, holding off the Raptors’ late push.
The Heat knocked down 21 threes at a 38.9% clip in their win over the Raptors, with Jimmy Butler leading the way with 26 points and 6 assists, shooting 57.1% from the field. Tyler Herro added 23 points, hitting 4 threes at 40% efficiency.
Jaime Jaquez contributed 15 points, shooting 66.7% from the field, while also hitting 2 threes at 50%. Terry Rozier scored 9 of his 12 points in the 4th quarter, helping Miami to a 121-point performance.
Despite giving up 40 points in the 2nd quarter, the Heat’s defense held the Raptors to 111 points in their win. Miami tightened up in the 1st and 3rd quarters, allowing just 21 and 23 points, respectively.
The Raptors shot 53% from the field, but the Heat limited them to 11 threes on 37% shooting. Miami also sent Toronto to the line 17 times, where they made 14 free throws. Defensively, the Heat recorded 10 steals but didn’t block any shots.
Do the Raptors Have What it Takes to Win as Home Underdogs?
The Raptors fell to 5-15 on the season after a 121-111 road loss to the Heat on Friday. Toronto entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 232 exceeded the O/U line of 219.5 by 12.5 points.
Toronto led 61-58 at halftime but saw the game slip away in the 3rd quarter when Miami went on a 12-0 run, extending the score from 65-62 to 74-65. The Raptors were outscored 38-23 in the 3rd and couldn’t recover, despite a 27-25 edge in the 4th quarter.
RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 25 points and 7 assists in their loss to the Heat, shooting 55.6% from the field and hitting 2 threes at 50%. Jakob Poeltl and Scottie Barnes each added 24 points, with Barnes posting a triple-double, including 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Poeltl was highly efficient, shooting 90.9% from the field.
As a team, the Raptors shot 53.8% overall and 37.9% from three, making 11 threes. Barrett scored 9 points in the 2nd quarter, while Poeltl added 10 in the same period. Ochai Agbaji contributed 7 of his 13 points in the 4th quarter.
The Raptors had a strong defensive start and finish, but their 2nd and 3rd quarters were tough, giving up 38 points in each. Overall, they allowed 121 points in the loss to the Heat.
Toronto held Miami to 45% shooting but struggled to defend the three, with the Heat hitting 21 threes at a 38% rate. The Raptors sent Miami to the line 17 times, where they made 14 free throws.