NBA Playoffs on Sling TV: Miami at Toronto
#3 Miami Heat vs. #2 Toronto Raptors, Miami leads series 1-0 (8pm ET Thursday, ESPN)
Down 90-87 with time winding down on Tuesday night, Toronto Raptor Kyle Lowry heaved a desperation 3 from halfcourt. The clock was at zero by the time the ball clanged off the right side of the rim and through the net, sending the game into overtime. But the rollercoaster night –there were 8 ties and 15 lead changes – ended with a plunge into despair for the hometown crowd, as the Heat scored the first 8 points of OT, as the Raptors picked an awful time to have their longest scoring drought of the game. When it was over, Miami had won Game 1 by a score of 102-96, and stolen home court advantage in the series.
Goran Dragic, the Heat’s leading scorer in their Game 7 win over Charlotte, again led the way, this time with 26 points, while Dwyane Wade did a little of everything, scoring 24 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, with 3 steals and 2 blocks. Hassan Whiteside was again key to Miami’s controlling the boards, pulling down 17, while scoring just 9. Hey, whatever, man, scoring’s not his job.
Despite his heroics, Lowry had a tough night on the offensive end of the floor, scoring just 7 points on 3-of-13 shooting, to go along with 6 assists and 3 turnovers. Jonas Valanciunas led the Raptors with 24 points (10-of-16) and 14 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan went 22-6-4, and Terrence Ross (no relation) came off the bench to score 19 points in just 27 minutes.
Watch the Miami Heat vs. the Toronto Raptors at 8pm ET Thursday on ESPN.
All stats courtesy ESPN and Basketball Reference