Raptors vs. Heat Game Thread: Updates, TV info, and more

Sorry to say this Heat fans, but when considering a shortlist of the most boring or least necessary teams in the NBA, Miami always seems to pop up on my personal list. They’re not abjectly terrible like the Phoenix Suns or New York Knicks, they don’t have any star players of note save Dwyane Wade on his retirement tour, and there is no grand narrative uniting them in common purpose. They are just... there.

At 31-34 and in eighth place, the Heat are in roughly the same place they were last season, and the year before that — and though their record was better in 2015-16 (48 wins), spiritually that team was the same as the current iteration. The Heat are a grind-it-out team absent of any real talent to put them over the top. Goran Dragic is on the injury-induced decline, the bet on Dion Waiters didn’t pan out, Josh Richardson “leads” the team — but can you think of a single noteworthy thing he’s done? Zach Lowe wrote on the strengths of Kelly Olynyk the other day and I had a startling thought: this is what it has come to in Miami?

And yet, here we are. Fresh of a relaxing win against the hapless Pelicans (another team due for a narrative deadening soon), Toronto looks to grab another win from the Heat. This could be tough: as reported, the Raptors spent Saturday night in Miami (on the eve of daylight savings, no less), and they’ll be without Kawhi Leonard this afternoon. They could very well sleepwalk through this one. But then again: it’s an early-March game against the Heat. Would anyone notice?

We’ve got your updated details for the game below. And here’s Zakaria Abdulle with the full Raps-Heat preview. Now, let’s watch.

Where to Watch:

Sportsnet One, 3:30 PM EST

Lineups:

Toronto – Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Patrick McCaw, Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka

Miami – Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo

Injuries:

Toronto – Fred VanVleet (thumb – OUT), Kawhi Leonard (load management – OUT)

Miami – None