Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, January 17th, 2022 

Venue:   FTX Arena, Miami, Florida

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread: Heat -3.5; O/U 209

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  Heat -4; O/U 209.5

WynnBet: Spread: Heat -3; O/U 207.5

Raptors: 21-19, 8th place Eastern Conference

Heat: 27-16, 3rd place Eastern Conference

An Eastern Conference matchup with serious implications for the Standings.  As of today the Miami Heat sit 3rd in the Eastern Conference standings, a half a game behind the Nest in #2 and a full game behind the Chicago Bulls in #1.  This morning it came out that Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant will be sidelined with a sprained MCL.  Just a few days ago an article in this space pointed out that Durant was playing way too many minutes and everyone from Head Coach Steve Nash to upper executives and the GM would feel horrible if he went down with any problems in the repaired knee.  Now it has happened.  It is a wide open invitation for the Miami Heat to push (and the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers) and move up.  If Kevin misses an extended period of time and PG Kyrie Irving keeps not being able to play home games… the Nets will fall and the scrum for dominance in the East will be a free for all.  The Raptors have little to say in that conversation… but they may benefit as well.

The Toronto Raptors started the season ice cold and found themselves in the bottom six in the conference.  Slow and steady is the name of the game for Toronto this season… they have gotten better, they have righted the ship, and they have won 7 of their last ten games.  They are now in eighth place and are beginning to feel like a stock that could shoot to the moon.  Rookie SF/SG/PF Scottie Barnes has been fantastic this season averaging 14.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, and 3.5 apg.  He also has displayed the ability to be put almost anywhere in the lineup… making him the perfect complement to established stars PF Pascal Siakim and PG Fred VanVleet.  Make no mistake though… soon he will be the team’s star and the Raptors front office need to start building around him instead of fitting him in.  He may miss this game as he sat out the last game with knee soreness.

The Miami Heat have really become the Eastern Conference’s Old Faithful.  We have watched them year in and year out put a winning product on the floor.  When they made an appearance in the Finals during the bubble season of 2020… we knew they were there because of injuries and problems on other prominent rosters… they caught a break, but we also knew they wouldn’t crumble into obscurity after they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers… they would smartly add pieces and keep on winning just enough to always be in the Finals conversation.  The Heat are also winners of 7 of their last 10 games.  They rely on their star SF Jimmy Butler to lead them at both ends of the floor.  They also have the former Toronto Raptors star PG Kyle Lowry… he’ll be taking the floor against the team that moved on from him… only he has the better record and he is the favorite on the betting line.

Al McMordie SMASHED THE BOOKS on Saturday, as he was 12-5, and cashed virtually every BIG PLAY, including his SWAC Game of the Year, Big Sky Game of the Year, and Southland Game of the Month. And Big Al won big in the NFL and NHL too. Now,  the winning continues, and Al's unloading on this NBA Elite Info Winner backed by a 60-33 ATS system. Go get it! Get Big Al’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

Toronto is 21-19 on the season, but 22-18 ATS.  They have logged 23 Overs and 17 Unders.  They are 9-8 in road games.

Miami is 27-16 on the season, but 25-18 ATS.  They have notched 26 Overs and 17 Unders.  They are 13-5 in home games.

The Raptors are 22nd in scoring with 107.2 ppg, 15th in rebounds with 45.2, and 15th in AST/TO ratio with 1.7.  They struggle shooting the ball:  27th in FG%, 20th in 3PT%, 24th in FT%... the saving grace is the ranking of 11th on defense while holding opponents to 106.1 ppg.

The Heat are 15th in scoring with 108.7 ppg, 16th in rebounds with 44.8 per game, and 13th in AST/TO ratio 1.8.  They are shooting 14th in FG%, 2nd in 3PT%, and 5th in FT%.  Their defense is stout:  ranked 4th while only allowing 104.3 ppg/

Our prediction for Monday, January 17th is….  Heat 118 - Raptors 111

The Heat are expected to get C Bam Adebayo back from a thumb injury in time for this game… young all-stars hate to miss games on holidays like MLK Day… It’s a bigger audience and they want to show up and show out.

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Miami is 4-2 ATS versus Toronto over the last 3 seasons.

Miami is 2-0 ATS versus Toronto in Miami over the last 3 seasons.

Toronto: SF Yuta Watanabe, PF Pascal Siakam, C Precious Achiuwa, SG OG Anunoby, PG Fredd VanVleet

Miami: PF P.J. Tucker, SF Jimmy Butler, C Omer Yurtseven, PG Kyle Lowry, SG Max Strus

Toronto

Points: Fred VanVleet 21.9

Assists: Fred VanVleet 6.7

Rebounds: Pascal Siakam 8.5

Steals: Gary Trent Jr 1.9

Blocks: Chris Boucher 1.0

Miami

Points: Jimmy Butler 22.6

Assists: Kyle Lowry 8.3

Rebounds: Bam Adebayo 10.2

Steals: Jimmy Butler 2.0

Blocks: Caleb Martin 0.6

Coaches

Raptors: Nick Nurse.  NBA Champion Head Coach

Heat: Erik Spoelstra. 2X NBA Champion Head Coach