Each side missing their frontcourt anchors and
the series knotted at 2-2, the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat angle for
an advantage in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Wednesday
night at Air Canada Centre.
Miami, which proved victorious 94-87 in
overtime in Game 4 to even the series thanks to guard Dwyane Wade’s 30
points and undying resurgence in these playoffs, will try to put the
Raptors back on their heels despite the absence of center Hassan
Whiteside.
Whiteside, who is highly skilled at altering
shots in the paint, will miss a second straight game due to a sprained
right knee ligament and didn't make the trip to Canada. An unrestricted
free agent this summer, Whiteside is listed as day-to-day but the Heat
would be missing him even more if the Raptors weren’t also down center
Jonas Valanciunas for the rest of the series.
Topping the Raptors in both rebounds and
blocks during these playoffs, the Lithuanian went down with a severely
sprained ankle in Game 4’s 95-91 win but unlike Whiteside he’s already
been nixed no matter how long the series lasts and he could be out even
longer if Toronto’s manages to advance.
Miami went with veteran Amare Stoudemire and
Toronto Bismack Biyombo in Game 4, but this series has largely come down
to the backcourt, with Wade dueling with the Raptors All-Star duo of
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan and winning.
Though he’s averaging 17.5 points a contest,
DeRozan’s dealing with a thumb injury and his shot has fallen just 35
percent of the time. Lowry exploded for 33 points in the Game 4 win, but
hasn’t shot better than 31.8 percent in the three other games.
Wade, on the other hand, has been a revelation
throughout the series and this postseason. The 34-year-old notched only
19 points a contest during the regular season, and did the same against
Charlotte in the first round, but has since lit up Toronto for 27.3 a
game, including 68 total in the last two.
Tipoff: 8 p.m. ET
TV Channel: TNT
Live Stream: TNT Overtime
Betting Odds: Toronto -4.5 points
Over/Under: 188.5 points
Prediction: Toronto over Miami, 97-90
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