Raptors 96 – Miami Heat 92 [OT]: Wild, again
By Brian Boake
The Raptors took an early lead, clanked it away, then punched back. It was Miami’s turn to send the game into overtime, then stumble.
Kyle Lowry’s shooting malaise isn’t over yet, but the patient is recovering. He and his Toronto Raptors mates hit just enough shots at the right time to come back against the Miami Heat. Then, after Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic drained consecutive 3-balls to force overtime, it was the Raptors’ turn to score early and hold on for a victory.
More from Raptors News
- Scottie Barnes talks Raptors expectations after bumpy 2022-23
- Raptors’ Dennis Schroder completes Cinderella story, wins FIBA World Cup with Germany
- NBA insider praises Raptors’ hiring of “star” Darko Rajakovic
- Raptors fans will love Markquis Nowell’s insane confidence on Instagram
- Raptors news: Dennis Schroder takes shot at Lakers, Scottie Barnes moves to Toronto
GAME STORY
The Raptors should never have been in a second straight OT game. They controlled the first quarter and should have buried the Heat. Toronto forced 11 turnovers, many of them on intercepted passes, and turned them into 14 points. Yes, a 10-point lead after 12 minutes was pleasant, but watching DeMar DeRozan miss bunnies (a foreshadowing of things to come) wasn’t.
After the Raptors missed their chance to lead by 15 or more, the Heat, a proud group of veterans, made them pay. Miami committed one turnover in Q2 and defended energetically. Meanwhile, Lowry, who seemed to be out of his slump after making 3 buckets, including a 3-ball, in Q1, regressed. He went 1 of 5, and got no help elsewhere. Maybe he wasn’t looking for it – Jonas Valanciunas had 3 shots by halftime. Lowry had 4 assists by then, but Cory Joseph had 3 in barely half the playing time.
Meanwhile, DeRozan, the second coming of Rudy Gay in terms of volume shooting, was making just enough to remain on the floor. Without a 3-ball in Q2, the Raptors needed a buzzer-beating layup by DeMarre Carroll simply to retain a 7-point margin.
The third quarter saw the Heat turn to Joe Johnson, a Raptors killer unfondly remembered from the Nets series two years ago. He proved unstoppable until James Johnson peeled off his sweats for the first time in the series, and entered the game with simple instructions: stop that man. He did, though the Heat did have Wade to turn to.
Meantime, the Raptors offense capsized. From 5:28 of Q3 to 9:36 of Q4, DeRozan’s hook shot off glass was their only basket. The Heat were busy, and turned a 9-point deficit into a 6-point lead. The Raptors managed to wipe that out, then give it back. Halfway through Q4, Toronto was down seven. Suddenly they “discovered” there was a big man on the floor who might be able to help.
JV had 3 of the Raptors’ 6 baskets in a 14-3 run. A 4-point lead with 45 seconds left should have been sufficient, but it wasn’t.
Happily our team shrugged off the disappointing final minute and took care of business in OT.
IN SUM…
DeMar’s shooting woes extended to the free-throw line; he was a shocking 2 of 8. He wasn’t the only offender, just the worst. The Raptors were a pitiful 14 of 26 for the game.
Carroll was the man of the match, as they say in footie, with 21 efficient (3 of 6 from beyond the arc) points and 4 steals without a turnover.
Hassan Whiteside was a problem in the paint once again. He had a bad luck double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds, with 3 blocked shots. However, JV kept his cool in the low-post wrestling match, and enjoyed his own d-d with 15 and 12. Most importantly, he was plus_17 for the match, compared with Whiteside’s minus_10.
If Miami loses this series, they will kick themselves for letting this game slip away. I can’t imagine the Raptors missing so badly from the charity stripe again, and Lowry indicated his slump is almost banished (OK, 7 of 22 is hardly wonderful, but he made key shots late in the game).
Game 3 tips off in Florida late Saturday afternoon.