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Raptors 102, Heat 92
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
TORONTO — For the first time in five years, the Toronto Raptors picked up a win over the Miami Heat on Friday night.
Guard Kyle Lowry led the Raptors to a 102-92 victory with 19 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and seven steals at the Air Canada Centre.
The win halted a stretch of 16 consecutive Toronto losses to Miami — the Raptors’ longest losing streak against one team in franchise history. Toronto (39-26) last beat Miami (29-36) on Jan. 27, 2010.
Friday’s win snapped Toronto’s four-game losing streak and was just the third Raptors win in 11 games.
A Chicago Bulls loss coupled with the Raptors’ win moved Toronto into a tie for third in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors have two games in hand on the Bulls.
Lowry was 7 of 12 from the field and made 5 of 8 from three-point range.
Guard DeMar DeRozan added 18 points and six assists and guard Lou Williams had 14 points and four rebounds off the bench for the Raptors.
Heat guard Dwayne Wade had game-high 25 points and four assists.
Miami guard Goran Dragic added 18 points and five assists and forward Michael Beasley chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Dragic led a 7-0 run by the Heat late in the fourth quarter, pulling Miami to within 14. It was the final threat by the visitors against the Raptors, who gained a split of the season series.
Toronto was ahead 78-63 after three quarters — its first lead after three quarters in five games and only the second time in their last eight.
The Raptors led 50-41 at halftime.
Toronto used a 21-9 surge during a seven-minute stretch of the second quarter to lead 46-32 with 2:15 to go before halftime, but Miami used a late 8-3 run to close the gap.
Lowry hit a deep 3-pointer, his third in four attempts, to give Raptors their biggest lead of the night at 14 with just over two minutes remaining.
Miami was 1 of 11 from 3-point range in the first half.
DeRozan led Toronto with seven points and was 5 of 5 from the line. the Raptors led 21-18 after one quarter.
NOTES: Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas missed the game for the birth of his son Jonas Jr. on Thursday night. … F Tyler Hansbrough started in place of Valanciunas. … Miami announced the signing of F Henry Walker for the remainder of the season on Friday. Walker is averaging 8.5 points and 27.4 minutes while helping Miami to a 6-4 record in 10 appearances this season. … Heat C Hassan Whiteside returned to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for his Flagrant 2 foul after his elbow to Boston F Kelly Olynyk on Monday.
