Report: Heat To Be Short Handed Against Raptors
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Heat can pull ahead of Indiana with a victory over Toronto Monday night and a Pacers loss to the San Antonio Spurs. But the Heat will have to beat the Raptors with a short-handed roster.
According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, guard Dwyane Wade, top backup Ray Allen, and center Greg Oden are all expected to miss Monday's game against Toronto.
Wade has been held out for three straight games after tweaking his hamstring against the Indiana Pacers. Allen missed the last three games due to the flu and Oden has missed three straight games because of a strained back.
The Raptors are also not the pushover they have been in the past. Toronto has clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and if the playoffs started today would be a number three seed behind the Pacers and Heat.
Overall, Toronto has won its last three straight games and is 6-4 over its last 10. But, the Raptors are just 20-17 on the road this season, giving Miami a perfect opportunity to pull out a victory and gain more ground on the Pacers.