NBA
Raptors-HEAT Game 3 Recap
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
Behind 33 points from Kyle Lowry, the Toronto Raptors took a 2-1 series lead after defeating the Miami HEAT 95-91 on Saturday night in Miami.
For much of the playoffs this season, Lowry has struggled after shooting around 30 percent from the field. In Game 3, Lowry rebounded by scoring 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range. Lowry scored 15 of his 33 points in the third quarter to keep the Raptors ahead.
Toronto has relied on solid play thus far from Jonas Valanciunas throughout the series and that translated again in Game 3. Valanciunas scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, while also adding 12 rebounds, one assist and one steal. However, Valanciunas sprained his ankle in the third quarter and is now listed as day-to-day.
Saturday night’s game proved to be exactly what the Raptors needed as they led virtually from start to finish. After returning to their home court, the HEAT only led by as many as six points in the fourth quarter.
Miami lost the game despite receiving 38 points from Dwyane Wade. He scored 18 points in the third quarter when the HEAT went on their run. They outscored the Raptors 28-19 in the third quarter to tie the game at 68 heading into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter became a duel between Lowry and Wade as Lowry scored 14 points in the period, while Wade scored 11 points. Wade scored 29 of his 38 points in the second half.
While Wade led the way for the HEAT, they didn’t receive much help elsewhere. Goran Dragic added 12 points, while Joe Johnson scored 10 points for Miami.
Toronto also got a big contribution from DeMar DeRozan as he scored 19 points. DeRozan struggled from the line in Game 2, but rebounded in Game 3, hitting 7-of-8 shots from the foul line.
The two teams now look to Game 4 on Monday. Miami will try to rebound and even the series at two games apiece. After Wade did most of the scoring in Game 3, the team will try to get bigger contributions from the rest of the team in Game 4.
