Tonight, the Toronto Raptors (2-1) are preparing for a battle against the NBA champs after getting a win versus the Milwaukee Bucks a few nights ago. Tonight’s game against the Miami Heat marks the first game of another back-to-back for the Raptors, with the Raps visiting Charlotte tomorrow night.
Chris Bosh will not play due to the birth of a child – this should give the Raps a better chance. Miami hasn’t been unbeatable this season with a 2-2 record, so that may be a cause for some optimism. It also may mean the Heat are going to come out looking for blood.
This is a true statement game – let’s see if the Raps can play with the big boys. Aside from trying to contain LeBron and Wade, there are other things this team needs to focus on to have chance at a W tonight.
Here are the Cage’s 5 Keys to the Game
1. Limit turnovers
The Raptors have coughed up just 29 combined turnovers in their past two games, and this trend needs to continue tonight for the team to have a chance to get a win against Miami. It is a well-known fact that Miami is a very dangerous team in the open court, so Toronto needs to make sure that live-ball giveaways are kept to a minimum. Boasting the dynamic combination of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, fast breaks are a definite team strength for the Miami Heat.
2. Spread the ball on offense
Although the Raptors are 2-1 on the season, much is left to be desired from the team on the offensive side of the ball. Dwane Casey absolutely needs to emphasize the importance of ball movement tonight. In the first three games of the season, the offense has been far too stagnant to have a chance at being successful against battle-tested teams like the Heat. Standing around waiting for a shot will simply not work in tonight’s game. Screens need to be set, cuts to the hoop must take place, and good shot selection must be the norm (yes, that means Rudy Gay cannot go 4 for 14 tonight).
3. Defend the three point shot
If one were to take a quick look at the roster of the Miami Heat, they may become solely focused on the star power that this team possesses. However, beyond the superstars on the Heat, there are a flurry of shooters on the team, always ready to make their open looks after LeBron James and Dwyane Wade attract double teams on their drives to the basket. The Raptors need to neutralize Miami’s strength here by ensuring that defensive switches are conducted in a timely fashion so that Miami’s shooters are not given too many clean looks from downtown.
4. Continue to rebound the ball
Surprisingly, the Raptors come into tonight’s game leading the entire league with an average of 50 rebounds per game (do not adjust your screen), while Miami enters Tuesday night’s game averaging a dismal 33.3 rebounds on the season. It’s safe to say that it will be quite possible for Toronto to impose their will on the glass, especially with Miami’s small-ball approach.
5. Get to the line and make free throws
Toronto is currently ranked second from the bottom in free throw percentage. The team shot a decent 28 for 38 (74%) in Milwaukee the other night, and will need to try and duplicate this effort versus Miami. However, shooting above 74% would be definitely be welcomed tonight. Getting to the line early and often will be significant too. Against the defending champions, the Raptors must take advantage of all of easy opportunities given to them.
X-Factor: Jonas Valanciunas
Please, Coach Casey, give this guy some minutes. It is known that Miami is a team that gets up and down the court quickly, but this is the type of game where Valanciunas can excel by using his size, rebounding abilities, and post-moves to bother the Heat interior defense, especially with no Bosh. If things get unmanageable with Miami’s speed on the court, then make an adjustment to match up with the five players that Erik Spoelstra chooses to roll with.
