(Sports Network) - The Miami Heat returned home from a long road trip, have
been off for almost a week, but will have to get back into the competitive
mode Wednesday night when they host the Toronto Raptors.
The defending champion Heat will be home for three games before heading out on
a three-game excursion. Miami went a respectable 3-3 on the recent trek west
and remain atop the Eastern Conference standings.
The Heat aren't taking it easy during this long break.
"We're trying to take advantage of this while we can," said head coach Erik
Spoelstra. "Won't have too many opportunities like this to have consecutive
days of practice."
The Heat ended their road trip with back-to-back wins over the Golden State
Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, both Eastern
Conference All-Star starters, led the way against the Lakers with 39 and 27
points, respectively.
Since, Miami signed veteran big man Chris Anderson, aka The Birdman, to a 10-
day contract.
"He picks things up quickly," Spoelstra said of Anderson. "He's got good
instincts. We're getting to know Chris, he's getting to know us. There's
plenty of time to work it all out."
The Raptors halted a four-game losing streak Sunday afternoon with a home
victory over the hapless Lakers, 108-103. Jose Calderon paced the Raptors with
22 points and nine assists, while starting forwards Landry Fields and Ed Davis
netted 18 apiece.
"We played well enough this week to win a couple of games, but we didn't,"
Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "Today, our guys stayed together, followed the
game plan and played together as a team."
Toronto is 11-7 since Dec. 14 and has amassed such a record with several key
pieces on the sideline with injury. Kyle Lowry and Fields have missed
significant time, but are healthy and back in the lineup.
Andrea Bargnani and rookie center Jonas Valanciunas have been gone for over a
month. All of these injuries have opened up playing time for players like
Davis, Amir Johnson, Quincy Acy and rookie Terrance Ross.
"It's tough because those two guys are key components," said Casey. "The guys
playing right now are playing good basketball. I don't want to change that
drastically."
The Heat have won eight in a row against the Raptors, who head up the coast on
Thursday to play the Orlando Magic and haven't won in Miami since Nov. 19,
2008, losing six in a row there.
The Sports Network