If Game 2 resembles the first game of the Raptors series against the Miami Heat, prepare yourself for a wild ride.
Kyle Lowry’s incredible half court heave as time expired forced overtime, but the Heat powered through in the extra period and won.
After losing home court advantage Tuesday night, game 2 becomes must-win for the Raptors. A seven game series win against Indiana should help prepare this squad, but this challenge stands as the most difficult test of the season thus far.
Media widely reported that Kyle Lowry stayed late in the Air Canada Centre after game 1 to work on his jumper, which has failed him since a bruised elbow forced him to set in March. For the past month and a half, Kyle simple hasn’t matched the form that made him a starting All-Star this season. Lowry publicly denies that the injury affects him, but his offensive impact must improve.Despite his low scoring, Lowry posted a positive plus/minus in game 1, which indicates that he’s helping the offense in ways other than scoring. He’s also providing a positive defensive impact.
Toronto may head into game 2 with added motivation, as if falling behind 2-0 in a series isn’t enough. Head coach Dwane Casey suggested his players should take offense to LeBron James’ comments that he’d look forward to a Cavaliers/Heat series in the Eastern Conference Finals.
3 keys to a Game 1 Raptors victory
- Get to the free throw line. In Game 1, Lowry failed to attempt a free throw after averaging 6.4 free throw attempts per game in the regular season. While officials often call playoff games more leniently, Lowry still must try harder to make it to the line. Easy free throw attempts could help his slump. In contrast, DeMar DeRozan, who averaged 8.4 free throw attempts per regular season game, attempted 6 free throws and converted 4 against the Heat.
- Make the extra pass. At times, the Raptors offense has struggled in the playoffs and felt unimaginative. Passing and ball movement could help open things up for DeRozan and Lowry. DeMarre Carroll, for instance, can be an effective three point shooter, but ball movement can improve his effectiveness. In game 1, he made 2 of his 4 three point attempts, and both made threes came with an assist, one by Terrence Ross and one by Lowry. In both instances, the Raptors made multiple passes on the play and DeMarre took shots with plenty of airspace. Carroll and other offensive players can contribute more if the Raptors emphasize ball movement.
- The bench must produce more. After outperforming Indiana’s bench and playing a crucial role in the round one series win, Toronto’s bench lost against Miami. All the bench players posted a negative plus/minus grade in game 1, particularly Bismack Biyombo. When Biyombo was on the floor in game 1, the Heat outscored the Raptors by 13. Bismack usually brings defensive energy and strong rebounding skills off the bench, but Hassan Whiteside dominated their matchup when both were on the floor at the same time. According to NBA.com/stats, when both were on the floor Whiteside grabbed 7 rebounds, while Biyombo snagged only 3 rebounds. Improving this rebounding margin will be crucial in game 2.
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A focused, motivated Raptors team will pull together and even the series. Expect a great night from Toronto’s stars: Lowry, DeRozan, JV. Toronto wins 95-87.