Raptors-Heat: The Battle for Fifth Place

Earlier in the season it looked like the Miami Heat were going to be awarded fifth place in the Eastern Conference and would be virtually uncontested due to a lack of teams good enough to take it from them.

But times have changed! 

Both the Charlotte Bobcats and Toronto Raptors have made a run at the Heat’s fifth place spot and the Heat briefly lost it to the Bobcats recently when the Bobcats completed a six-game home winning streak by demolishing the Heat 104-65. 

That had to hurt!

The Miami Heat got out to a good start this season at 16-12, while the Bobcats and the Raptors shared beastly 11-17 marks.

But unlike the rapidly cooling Heat, the Bobcats posted a 10-2 run and the Raptors went 10-3 to make this a close three-way race.

The games played between these teams suggest they are closely matched.  Miami and Toronto have split, each winning a game at home so far, as have Charlotte and Toronto. Charlotte has beaten Miami at home and on the road to lead that series.

Coming into Wednesday’s games:

1. The idle Bobcats have gone 1-3 as their schedule toughened and they started a six-game western road trip.  At 22-22, the Bobcats now sit a half game back of Toronto in seventh place.
2. The Raptors coming off a 106-105 home win over the Lakers have split their last four games 2-2 and are alone in sixth place, a half game behind Miami with a 23-22 record.
3. Miami is back in fifth place at 23-21 after splitting the three games following the loss to Charlotte. Monday’s 91-92 home loss to Cleveland is still fresh in their memories.

On Wednesday, the Miami Heat travel to Toronto and put fifth place in the Eastern Conference on the line once again.

The Raptors are 9-1 at home over their past 10 games, losing only to Boston and defeating the Lakers, Mavericks, Spurs, Rockets, and even the Bobcats.

The Heat are 4-6 on the road over their past 10 road games with wins against the Wizards, Rockets, Warriors, and Suns.

The Toronto Raptors cannot afford to take any game against Dwyane Wade and company lightly, but home court advantage should prevail.

Look for a hard-fought battle to take over sole possession of fifth place in the East to fall to the Raptors at the ACC on Wednesday.

There is no place like home!