The Miami Heat will put two impressive streaks on the line when they travel to face the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The Heat take their eight-game winning streak - the longest active streak in the league - into Toronto in search of their 13th straight win in the series. The Raptors are coming off a 102-100 loss to Brooklyn on Tuesday but lead the lackluster Atlantic Division.
The Heat will celebrate Thanksgiving at LeBron James' 30,000-square-foot mansion in Bath, Ohio, a short trip from Cleveland, where they beat the Cavaliers 95-84 on Wednesday. Then it's off to Toronto, where they haven't lost since 2010. James and Dwyane Wade combined for 55 points in the first meeting this season, as Miami won 104-95 on Nov. 5.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Miami), TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE HEAT (12-3): Miami has hit its stride after a slow start and it starts at the defensive end, where the Heat have allowed 100 or more points only twice in the past 12 games. They held Cleveland to 34.9 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers. James (26.1 points, 6.7 assists, 5.9 rebounds) and Wade (18.3 points, 5.5 assists) are still the main cogs, but Michael Beasley is giving Miami big production off the bench including 17 points and nine rebounds Wednesday.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (6-8): Toronto doesn't fill up the stat sheet, but the Raptors look like the class of a weak division so far. DeMar DeRozan has been red-hot lately, shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and 12-for-24 from 3-point range over the past five games while averaging 28.6 points. DeRozan and Rudy Gay (19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds) are a nice one-two punch, and point guard Kyle Lowry (13.2 points, 6.4 assists) is doing a nice job of taking care of the ball, averaging 1.7 turnovers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors have defeated a reigning champion at home five times, most recently in 2010 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
2. James has scored in double figures in 510 consecutive games, the fifth-longest streak in NBA history.
3. Wade is one blocked shot shy of tying Dennis Johnson (675) for the most by a player 6-4 or shorter in NBA history.