Bam Adebayo’s dominant performance and Tyler Herro’s sharp shooting lifted the Miami Heat to a 114-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. Miami improved to 13-10 with their fourth consecutive win, while Toronto fell to 7-19, continuing their road struggles.
Adebayo posted 21 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists, anchoring Miami’s effort on both ends of the floor. Herro led all Heat scorers with 23 points, including 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Nikola Jovic added 14 points off the bench, while Jimmy Butler and Dru Smith contributed 11 points each.
The Raptors, playing without Scottie Barnes due to a sprained ankle, were led by Gradey Dick’s 22 points. Jakob Poeltl added 16 points, while RJ Barrett recorded a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists despite a difficult 5-of-18 shooting night.
Toronto started strong, building a 16-point lead early in the second quarter. However, Miami’s defense tightened, and the Heat closed the half on a 33-10 run. Jovic sparked the surge with 11 points during the stretch, including two three-pointers.
Miami’s rebounding proved decisive, as they outrebounded Toronto 52-42. This marked the fourth straight game in which the Heat held a double-digit rebounding advantage during their homestand, which also featured wins over the Lakers, Suns, and Cavaliers.
The Heat also converted 13-of-32 three-point attempts, with Herro and Jovic leading the way. Defensively, Miami forced 11 turnovers and limited Toronto to 34.4% shooting from deep.
For Toronto, Dick’s 22 points came on 8-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-11 from three-point range. Poeltl was efficient, going 7-of-12 from the field, while Barrett’s triple-double was overshadowed by his shooting struggles and six turnovers.
The loss extended Toronto’s road woes, dropping their record to 1-12 away from home. The Raptors were further hampered by Barnes’ absence, as the team continues to adjust without their star forward.
