1 advantage Raptors have over Bulls, Hawks, and Heat in play-in
By Mike Luciano
Miami Heat: Starting Lineup Scoring
This season, the list of teams with a less dynamic and less explosive offense than the Raptors is very short. However, Toronto’s recent drubbing of Miami at home not only got Tracy McGrady very hot, but it illustrated how to beat the Heat in the postseason.
The Heat are now dead last in the league in points per game despite the presence of Kyle Lowry and one of the game’s best veteran wings in Jimmy Butler. Perhaps McGrady’s criticism are valid, as the Heat can look a step slow when Butler is compromised and Tyler Herro isn’t white hot.
The Toronto Raptors can outscore the Heat.
Heat-Raptors contests have almost become famous for their ugliness. These two teams are built so similarly from a stylistic point of view, meaning that there are plenty of games with low scores, plenty of stagnant offense, and so much ferocious defense that it looks like the 2003 Pistons playing the 2003 Pistons.
The key to upsetting Miami will be getting hot early, which players like Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam have already proven they can do. While Butler being back will certainly change the calculus, the Raptors should head into any Heat matchup brimming with confidence.
Next. 7 players the Raptors gave up on too soon. dark