The Raptors won three of their four meetings with Miami during the regular season, including two games in Toronto.
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The opening matchup at point guard in the series reunites the Heat’s Goran Dragic and the Raptors’ Kyle Lowry, who played as teammates with the Houston Rockets in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Dragic had a tough go at times against Walker in the Charlotte series, but he is coming off a huge effort on Sunday, when he led his team with 25 points in Game 7 to help the Heat to a second straight elimination-game victory.
Lowry had missed his prior five three-point attempts in Tuesday’s contest but made his first make count after Heat center Hassan Whiteside split a pair of free throws, triggering a massive reaction on Twitter.
The loss continued a disturbing trend that has followed this franchise for all but one playoff series in its 21-year history. After Lowry went from scapegoat to hero in an instant by hitting a game-tying, half-court heave a the buzzer to force overtime, the Heat overpowered the Toronto Raptors in the extra frame. Miami looked unstoppable in its first two games against the Charlotte Hornets in the first round before struggling through the next four only to find its form again in a 106-73 shellacking at home in Game 7 on Sunday. The Raptors barely survived against the Indiana Pacers, dropping Game 1 at home and even surrendering a fourth-quarter run before hanging on in Game 7. Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors (-10, 213.5)Warriors lead series 1-0The Golden State Warriors had no problem scoring without MVP Stephen Curry in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals and put the focus on defense for most of the afternoon.
This one was a tight and back-and-forth from the very beginning with very little rhythm for either team.
Both the Raptors and Heat struck gold in the second round of the 2015 draft, landing rookies who have made immediate contributions.
The Heat have an experienced team that has been in playoff series like this. If somebody gives us that before the game, we would sign it immediately.’ But of course, when you’re up nine points. Will Game 1 be a defensive struggle?
The Raptors nearly had another bite of the apple in overtime, when six Raptors points pulled Toronto to within three with 27 seconds left. This year he averaged 29.3 points against the Heat, an increase from 23.5 average.
But the best came out of it. DeRozan’s true shooting percentage versus Miami was.
Casey showed no fear of making the first bold move of the series inserting Norman Powell into his starting five and moving DeMarre Carroll to power forward.
Without Bosh, the Heat had no chance to go small and become a more up-tempo team and it has worked well for them. With the Raptors enjoying a homecourt edge, Wade and the rest of the Heat will have to come out smoking and try to waylay the rising wards of head coach Dwane Casey.
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“Everybody was quiet except C.B.”, said Joe Johnson, who arrived after Chris Bosh was sidelined, and has never played with him for the Heat. “And now he’s playing at a different level right now, [in 2014] All-NBA, this year he’s playing fantastic”.
