If you count just regulation, all three games so far in this series have gone under the total. The Raptors have gone under in eight of their 10 playoff games. The Heat's gone under in seven of their last eight playoff games. So why go over?

Because the dynamics are about to change starting with this Game 4.

Toronto lost 7-footer Jonas Valanciunas for the series with an ankle injury. Miami is down its center, Hassan Whiteside. His troublesome right knee bucked just six minutes into Game 3. Whiteside, who led the NBA in blocked shots, has a sprained MCL. This is the type of injury that has sidelined Stephen Curry for the past two weeks.

Because of these two key center injuries, the Raptors and Heat are each going to play small-ball. That means increased tempo and a faster paced game. It's a huge plus for Toronto's All-Star backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan because they'll be able to have more open space to work. Lowry finally found his shooting stroke pouring in 29 points during the second half of Game 3.

Whiteside not only is tough defensively, but weak offensively. He had only five assists in his last 17 games. He'll be replaced by a pair of undersized centers - Udonis Haslem and Josh McRoberts - and Amare Stoudemire, who is near the end of his career and never played defense even in his prime.

The Raptors are forced to give major minutes to 6-foot-9 Bismack Biyombo at center. Biyombo can't score, but is undersized weakening Toronto defensively.

Note, too, the game is in Miami where the Heat have averaged 110.3 points during their last 17 games at American Airlines Arena.