Raptors take one back from the Heat at home 119-116

Strong play down the stretch from Scottie and RJ sealed the win to start off their home stand

The Toronto Raptors faced the Miami Heat in the second of a home-and-home series. After dropping the first, the Raptors looked to take one back, making up for mistakes the first time around. The starters remained the same for both teams, but the outcome was the opposite, with Toronto taking the win.

For Miami, Tyler Herro was the hardest to stop, especially from long range. He hit a number of frustratingly difficult shots and drew a lot of defensive coverage from the Raptors throughout the night. He led the heat in scoring with 31 points. Bam Adebayo was also big for the Heat, posting 13-20-7 and even hitting an uncharacteristic 3-pointer in the final seconds.

For the Raptors, it was an all-around effort, correcting many of their mistakes from Friday night. Everyone came in and contributed, with Mogbo posting 7 boards and 6 assists, Poeltl cashing in a 17-point 11-rebound double-double, and Davion Mitchell demonstrating game-altering defence. No surprise though that Toronto’s biggest performances came from RJ and Scottie who closed the game out for them.

RJ played well on Friday against the Heat, but this was a masterclass for him. Even though players know he’s going to go left, he still manages to turn and step and find his way to the basket. He found his shot from long range, on the cut, and especially in transition where he leads the league. With 37-7-5 in the game, he was instrumental in the win tonight.

Scottie has really been coming into form since returning from injury. At points in this game, it felt like he was making absurd shots. On post ups, contested, and from long range, Scottie was scoring from all over the floor. Even more impressive were his perfectly placed passes tonight. On so many occasions, he threaded a needle, managed a no-look, or threw it over his shoulder for someone running out in transition. With the final stat line of 21-10-9, Scottie continues to prove why he is so important for this team.

Part of what is so feel-good about this win is the growth it’s demonstrating, even compared to the beginning of the season. The Raptors have struggled to close out games and maintain leads, and so many times the result went the other way, with shots not falling and costly turnovers leading to a loss. It was a matter of time before things would shift, but it’s encouraging to see it already happening.

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In the first, the Raptors were hunting mismatches, particularly with Duncan Robinson to put him in foul trouble early. The strategy was effective, as it got the Raptors good looks, creating some rhythm in the offence. The Heat tried to defend from a zone, but Jakob was able to overpower smaller defenders and with the collapsing defence, RJ, Ochai, and Scottie all found themselves open for long range shots.

For most of the quarter, the Raptors were out-hustling Miami, generating extra possessions with savvy offensive rebounding by both Poeltl and Mogbo. They were taking their time to pick apart the defence and pass the ball, allowing them to end the quarter without any turnovers, and up by 10 points.

In the second, Miami was able to find their stride. Knocking down 3s, the Heat erased the deficit and then built a lead. Rozier came off the bench and hit a pair, and earned another 3 points at the line after a foul by Shead. The Raptors started to foul more, turn the ball over, and slowly lose momentum.

They didn’t give in though, and with the return of RJ and Scottie to the floor, they found their momentum again. A long-range 3 from RJ, a big and-one from Poeltl, and then some added effort from the rookie Walter gave the Raptors life. Going on a 14-2 run, Toronto built back a 5-point lead to head into the locker room 65-60.

In the third, neither team was able to draw away early. Toronto struggled with turnovers a bit, but made up for it with some creative extra passes that allowed them to keep up. Ja’Kobe continued to find ways to score as well, especially from the midrange.

Halfway through the quarter, Miami was already in the bonus, and with the game close, it felt like it might have been a difficult quarter. The Raptors forced consecutive turnovers, RJ scored 6 straight points, and with that, they had a two-possession lead again. It was all Toronto for the rest of the quarter, with an 11 point advantage.

In the final frame, the start was shaky, but Davion Mitchell helped calm things down on both ends. He broke up Miami’s defence on a number of plays and chipped in 5 points early to keep them moving in the right direction.

Herro led the charge for the Heat, converting consecutive possessions to eat away at the Raptors’ lead. Late in the quarter, Toronto tried to drain time from the clock as they struggled offensively. This opened the door for the Heat, bringing it back within a possession with less than 90 seconds left. Scottie and RJ exchanged baskets late, keeping their lead intact. The Heat began fouling, but Scottie iced a three-pointer and was able to convert one of his free-throws with under 13 seconds left, making it a two-possession game. Toronto held their ground, despite Miami’s attempt to foul and walked off the floor victorious, with a 119-116 lead as the clock expired.

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The Raptors will use this momentum to carry them through the home stand they’re on now, with their next game Tuesday against the Pacers at 7:30pm ET. Tune in on TSN.