Toronto Raptors vs Miami Heat Final: 125-103— Raptors lose 3rd game in a row

The game really felt like one more game before the team goes “1-2-3, Cancun!”

It was an 8 PM start time for the Heat fans, and at first, the arena looked like the Heat fans’ trademark indifference towards the first quarter of Miami Heat basketball games. However, with the team playing game 81 against the lowly Toronto Raptors, it became apparent quickly that the arena wouldn’t sell out for tonight’s game. Can’t blame them; tonight’s game is a “scheduled win” for the Heat, and they did just enough to do their part, vaporizing the Raptors, 125-103.

Nikola Jovic’s game didn’t need a preheat, as he got the Heat started by scoring 14 of his 22 points in the first half. The Raptors failed to put some non-gaseous resistance in the paint as Bam Adebayo strolled to the bucket at will for 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting, playing in just three quarters. Jaime Jaquez got his carburetor going in the second period, finishing an all-around game of 20 points and nine dimes. Jimmy Butler could have taken his remaining vacation days for tonight’s game (and the season finale) as he barely broke a sweat, finishing with 14 points and seven assists.

RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 35 points and 11 boards but got no help from his teammates. Immanuel Quickley and Gary Trent Jr. combined for 7-for-24 shooting for 22 total points. Kelly Olynyk filled up the stat sheet, but his 8 points, 11 boards, and six assists were not enough to disrupt the Miami Heat’s game plan. Bruce Brown scored 10 of his 14 points in the second quarter when things were still competitive.

The Heat got to the paint at will, scoring 54 points in the paint. When they met enough resistance, their perimeter shooting made the Raptors pay, hitting 17-for-41 for 41.5% from behind the arc. Miami’s suffocating on-ball and zone defense forced the Raptors to commit 17 turnovers, while the Heat only gave the ball away seven times.

The Raptors initially showed some potent energy, with their starting five making an immediate impact on the scoreboard. However, their defensive lapses, particularly in the paint, led to a timeout call from coach Darko Rajakovic. The Raptors were struggling despite trailing the Heat by just 10-12. The Heat’s Nikola Jovic stepped up, leading his team to a 12-5 run and forcing the Raptors to call another timeout.

Bruce Brown came off the bench with a couple of quick buckets to keep the Heat within striking distance, but the Raptors’ offense went through a dry spell, allowing the Heat to go on a 12-4 run before Barrett’s and-1 stopped the bleeding, and the Raptors closed the first period trailing the Heat, 22-33.

Brown opened the second frame by scoring or assisting on 10 of the team’s first 12 points, but the Raptors could not make any ground as defensive stops were too few and far between. The Heat’s physicality on the defensive end forced a few Raptors turnovers. Jaquez, waxing hot, allowed the Heat to go on a 10-2 run and build a 50-36 lead halfway through the second frame, forcing coach Rajakovic to call time to cool off the Heat run.

The Raptors came back with a swift 4-0 run, but the Heat quickly diffused any potential comeback attempt by turning up the temperature of their defense even more, coupled with their torrid perimeter shooting to push the lead to 18. Barrett found gaps between the Heat’s defense to get some points up. Still, the Raptors’ paint protection toasted, allowing the Heat to get dunks and layups easily, blowing the game up, with the Heat leading 66-50 at the half.

Jovic got the second half rolling with a trifecta. Unfortunately, Barrett was the only Raptor who seemed capable of putting the ball to the basket. The Raptors finally managed to put together a stretch where they provided some resistance defensively, cutting the lead to 66-77 off a Quickley trifecta. The Raptors managed to bring the lead down to 10 after an Ochai Agbaji corner three. Still, the Raptors’ bench unit fell apart in the final 2:30 of the quarter, letting the Heat close the quarter on a 9-2 run to push their lead back to 92-75.

Barrett tried to carry the Raptors early in the fourth, but his teammates could not get anything going. The Heat then pushed the lead to 108-85 off a nonchalant corner three by Jimmy Butler, forcing coach Rajakovic to burn another timeout, but that’s the game right there.

The Raptors came out of the timeout prepared for the Heat’s zone defence, with Kelly Olynyk finding on the baseline and cutting to the basket. Quickley and Love exchanged trifectas, but the Raptors could not string up defensive stops or offensive outbursts. With just under five minutes left, coach Erik Spoelstra waived the white flag for coach Rajakovic by pulling out Jimmy Butler so that his young players could get more reps.