When the Miami HEAT needed someone to go to in Game 7 against the Charlotte Hornets, Goran Dragic stepped up and led his team to victory.
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Credit the Raptors for coming back and clawing their way back from the dead to force the overtime period, but the Heat can’t afford to close out games playing this unorganized and sloppy. He was always a confident guy and he’s already played so many games and made so many big shots that it’s a little bit surprising. That’s a far cry from the 21.2 points Lowry averaged during the regular season.
The Heat took a narrow 68-63 lead into the fourth, but they’d stretched it to 10 points barely two minutes into the quarter.
The Raptors started a small lineup on Tuesday to match Miami’s. Luol Deng committed a bad pass off of the inbounds play and Ross was fouled with 4.1 seconds left. The Heat managed just one free throw as Ross hit a free throw and then Lowry sank the tying three from long distance. That was before several astonishingly lazy defensive sets gave the Raptors easy dunks to make it a one possession game, yet again.
But the Heat took Toronto’s punch and they only wobbled, which is what teams that have won championships do in the playoffs. He worked on his shot until after 1 a.m. following Game 1, first on the Raptors’ practice court and then on the main court, in an effort to rediscover a shot that’s missing. All five of the Heat made baskets in overtime were unassisted.
Dwyane Wade still has gas in the tank, but isn’t the player he once was obviously. He allayed the immediate concerns with two jumpers in overtime but still appeared to be laboring. Joe Johnson chipped in with 16 points and seven rebounds.
The Heat received a scare 7:06 into the first when Hassan Whiteside slipped on the floor and strained his right knee. You ain’t experts. It’s entertainment more than anything, but Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith said in their post-game show that coach Dwane Casey should “use a short leash” with Lowry. He looked to return without limitations after the incident. He had 26 points and six rebounds, although he did have an embarrassing air ball on a wide-open jumper. Part of the reason why Toronto lost this game was Lowry’s inability to get anything going on offense. He didn’t make his first shot until the 7:18 mark of the third quarter. One of the biggest discrepancies in the game was that the Heat hit eight 3s. With swift ball movement and DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas leading the charge, the Raptors roared to a quick start and built an early 6-point first quarter lead.
“I’m trying to get my touch back”.
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OAKLAND, Calif. – The Golden State Warriors held the Portland Trail Blazers to three field goals over the final 8:58 of the game Tuesday night, rallying from an 11-point deficit to record a 110-99 victory in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.
