Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Match Preview - February 1st, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Miami Heat will continue their road trip when they head into a rematch against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on February 1st.
Coming off a 122-92 blowout loss against the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat have seen a drop-off in performance as their roster issues continue to affect the team. The Heat have also fallen to the second seed in the East following this loss.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are on a roll as they registered their second consecutive win. Beating the Atlanta Hawks 106-100 on the road, the Raptors have improved to 25-23 and continue to rise through the ranks of the East.
This will be the third installment of the four-game regular-season series between the two teams. With the last game resulting in a win for the Raptors in triple-OT, the Heat will attempt to take the series lead again on the road.
Match Details
Fixture - Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Tuesday, February 1st, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022; 6:00 AM IST)
Venue - Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat have been largely successful this season, even without their team at full strength. However, their lack of available depth is finally catching up to them and they find themselves on a two-game losing streak as they hit the road again.
The Miami Heat are legit 👀 https://t.co/kArZbYJdb1
While Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler were already out of the rotation, the game against Boston also saw PJ Tucker miss out. With three starters out, Miami had to go deep into their bench to find an answer.
Max Strus was the standout performer for the game with 27 points. While four other players also notched double-digit scoring, a lack of depth and heavy turnover rate would see the Heat lose badly against Boston.
In an attempt to stop their slide, Miami will hope to see a better contribution from their bench rotation in their upcoming game in Toronto.
Key Player - Tyler Herro
A key player for the Miami Heat in their upcoming away fixture will be Tyler Herro. Coming off a soft outing of 13 points off the bench, Herro will have to take on a more aggressive role in the game against Toronto.
Herro has had a comeback season so far. Emerging as a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Herro has been lighting it up with Miami's second unit. Although Herro averages 20.3 points per game, his last few outings have seen a significant drop-off in scoring.
With a number of key performers out of the rotation, Herro will have to be a major contributor if Miami is to put an end to their losing streak. Considering that Toronto limits the minutes of their bench rotation, Herro may also have his work cut out for him against the Raptors' first unit.
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
G - Gabe Vincent | G - Max Strus | F - Caleb Martin | F - Duncan Robinson | C - Bam Adebayo
Check this out: Barstool 2 for 1 New Player Bonus
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors have looked like a solid team through the month of January. With an 11-6 record for the month, the Raptors have improved to 25-23 on the season and are in the eighth seed in the East.
Featuring a healthy lineup for the most part, Toronto finally looks like a competitive unit. With consistent performances by Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam, the Raptors are also enjoying the contributions of players such as Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby.
Gary Trent Jr last 4 games:
31 points, 9 threes
33 points, 5 threes, 5 steals
32 points, 6 threes
32 points, 5 threes
Only Steph, Dame and Harden had longer streaks of 30+ points and 5+ threes in NBA history. https://t.co/DNoAro36MK
The Raptors typically play their starting rotation for a significant amount of minutes. While this was a concern heading into the game against Atlanta, the end result was more than satisfactory. Shooting a red-hot 50% from beyond the arc, Toronto also turned up the heat on the defensive end with eight blocks and seven steals to force 15 turnovers from Atlanta.
Heading into this rematch against the Heat, the Raptors will look to defend home court while recreating their success from the previous matchup.
Key Player - Pascal Siakam
A key player for the Toronto Raptors in their upcoming home fixture will be Pascal Siakam. Siakam's return from injury has been a welcome sight for the Raptors this season. With his average of 21 points and 8.4 rebounds per game to go along with that, he has also been a key asset for Toronto.
A historic month of January for Pascal Siakam 🤯 https://t.co/KgL1nHQmvY
Coming off a 25-point night against the Atlanta Hawks, the Raptors forward was extremely efficient from the field as well. Making use of his athleticism and wingspan, Siakam also recorded two steals and two blocks for the game.
As a two-way player, Siakam will be essential to the Raptors' success in the upcoming matchup. Drawing on the task of guarding Bam Adebayo, Siakam will have to contain Adebayo on the defensive end while also nullifying him as a shot blocker on the offensive end.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Fred VanVleet | G - Gary Trent Jr. | F - OG Anunoby | F - Scottie Barnes | C - Pascal Siakam
Heat vs Raptors Match Predictions
The Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors matchup for February 1st presents itself as an exciting grudge match considering the outcome of the previous game.
However, the Heat will be shorthanded as they are missing a number of key players for this game. Additionally, the fatigue they face playing on the second night of back-to-back will take its toll against a Raptors team with some momentum.
While the game could still be evenly matched considering Miami's overall ability to execute, Toronto could be favored to win this game.
Where to watch Heat vs Raptors game?
The Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors game will be locally broadcast on SN. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game by tuning into Sportsnet 590.
Check this out: Barstool 2 for 1 New Player Bonus