The Miami Heat are heating up — literally and figuratively. On Thursday night, they capped off a perfect 4-0 homestand with a gritty 114-104 comeback win over the Toronto Raptors, extending their winning streak to four games.
Despite some early struggles and a double-digit deficit, Miami showed its trademark resilience to flip the script and control the game by halftime.
Add in stellar performances from Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, plus the ongoing Jimmy Butler trade chatter, and this game had a little bit of everything. Let’s break it down.
1. Tale of Two Quarters
Early on, it looked like the Raptors (7-19) were going to run the Heat (13-10) out of their own building. Toronto was dunking, driving, and dominating the paint, jumping out to a 41-25 lead midway through the second quarter.
Then the Heat said, “enough.” Miami closed the half on a scorching 33-10 run, flipping a 16-point deficit into a seven-point halftime lead. Erik Spoelstra’s squad clamped down defensively, holding Toronto to just 28 paint points the rest of the game. It’s the kind of resilience we’ve come to expect from this Heat team.
2. Tyler Herro Stays Hot, Bam Does Bam Things
Tyler Herro is making it clear why he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He dropped a smooth 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Bam Adebayo? Another monster night — 21 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and a block. These two are carrying the load while Miami navigates its lineup tweaks and off-court noise.
3. The Jimmy Butler Trade Circus
Jimmy Butler’s orange braids were loud, but his performance? Not so much. He had 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 29 minutes — and didn’t even touch the court in the fourth quarter.
Of course, all eyes are on Butler after Shams Charania’s report that the Heat are “open to offers” for their star forward. Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, called the report “fabricated,” and Jimmy himself shrugged it off, saying, “It’s good to be talked about.”
Still, with Butler reportedly eyeing destinations like Houston, Dallas, Golden State, and Phoenix, you can bet this storyline isn’t going away before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
4. We Have A Jovic Sighting
Nikola Jovic hadn’t seen game action in nearly three weeks, but when Miami fell into a 16-point hole, Spoelstra turned to the young forward.
Jovic responded in a big way, recording 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including two threes, in 24 minutes. His energy sparked the Heat’s second-quarter surge, and he finished with a team-best +25. Maybe Spo’s got another rotation piece to play with here.
5. Bench Steps Up Again
The Heat’s reserves were the difference-makers, with Dru Smith adding 11 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kevin Love, and Terry Rozier chipping in key minutes. Miami’s depth has quietly become a strength, especially with players like Josh Richardson and Pelle Larsson sidelined.
Final Thoughts
The Heat’s new-look starting lineup (Herro, Robinson, Butler, Highsmith, Adebayo) wasn’t great early but still improved to 8-2 overall.
Meanwhile, the Raptors are reeling without Scottie Barnes. Miami now gets a nice three-day break before heading to Detroit to face the struggling Pistons.
The Heat’s four-game win streak is nice, but the real drama might be off the court. Butler trade rumors are swirling, and it’s anyone’s guess what Miami’s roster will look like come February. For now, the Heat are rolling, and that’s all that matters
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