The Miami Heat had several chances to grab homecourt advantage and take a 1-0 series lead against the Toronto Raptors in regulation but were undone with several self-inflicted turnovers and a miraculous half-court buzzer beater by Kyle Lowry to tie the game.
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In Toronto, Miami regrouped superbly after Kyle Lowry’s game-tying buzzer-beater saw the Raptors force overtime at 90-90.
After falling to Miami 102-96 in overtime in Game 1 at Air Canada in Toronto, the Raptors are facing a must-win game to keep their playoffs aspirations alive.
Lowry has struggled for the Raptors all playoffs with his numbers dropping from the regular season in points (21.2 to 13.0), rebounds (4.7 to 4.1), field-goal percentage (42.7 percent to 30.6 percent) and 3-point FG percentage (38.8 percent to 16.0 percent).
Toronto hosts Miami on Tuesday night in the opening game of its second-round series.
“It’s something we face every single day and something that we’re OK with because at the end of the day it’s us in the locker-room versus the world”, Patterson said. The duo is highly expected to bounce back and give the Heat some problems in Game 2, even if Lowry has yet to shoot over 40 percent in the playoffs thus far. Dragic has scored 51 points over the last two games and is averaging 15.6 points in only his second trip to the National Basketball Association postseason, and a first as a starter. DeRozan and Valanciunas combined for 18 points during the spurt. “I think that’s what (my shooting struggles) did to me a little bit”. Miami missed its first five shots, and the Raptors had baskets from DeRozan and Valanciunas, who was huge down the stretch.
“I have [been in a slump like this], but not at this time, so that’s what’s frustrating”, Lowry said. That shot wasn’t the difference in the ball game, but it once again highlighted the Raptors vulnerability along the perimeter. Two of the wins have come against the Raptors. Unfortunately for the Raptors, the Heat’s backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade figured things out in the second half.
Virtually ignored through three quarters, scoring four points on three shots, Valanciunas came alive with 11 points and seven rebounds in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Raptors avoided losing consecutive games for the first time this postseason.
Whatever it is, Lowry made a handful of positive plays as the game went on, showed glimmers of life.
“I got a brand new series”, Lowry said the morning of Game 1, “I got a whole new life”. With both Wade and Whiteside not even close to a 100 percent we see a Miami team more interested in getting back to South Beach than in putting out the effort that won them Game One.
Toronto’s Terrence Ross set a career playoff high with 19 points and Cory Joseph had 10. We know he’s not shooting the ball well, and he’s not making shots that he normally makes.
The Raptors are the favourites on paper, winners of five of their six last regular-season games against Miami.
The series shifts to Miami for the next two games.
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Lowry may be feeling the pressure, and he admits that he will be linked with a possible Raptors failure: “I know the pressure I put on myself”.
