The Miami HEAT fell to the Toronto Raptors 96-87 Friday night at Air Canada Centre. Hassan Whiteside led the way for the HEAT with 21 points.
1. Whiteside Comes to Play
Whiteside was quite active from the very beginning, as he nearly notched a double-double before halftime. Early on in the contest, the 7-footer went right at Jonas Valanciunas in the post and converted a number of shots over the Lithuanian.
As the game progressed, Whiteside remained active around the rim and gave Miami plenty of second-chance opportunities. However, one of his most impressive plays of the evening came on the break.
With 7:14 left in the third quarter, Dion Waiters poked the ball away from Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragić came up with the ball. The Slovenian then hit it ahead to Whiteside, who took a dribble and threw it down as if he was in the Slam Dunk Contest.
Whiteside also altered plenty of shots at the rim and came away with a fantastic block on Pascal Siakam. With 5:38 to play in the first quarter, Siakam went to work in the post against Justise Winslow. Once Siakam went up with a hook shot, Whiteside read the play and came over to block (or catch) the shot attempt.
Otherwise, the former Marshall standout played very stout defense against Valanciunas and remained disciplined. In addition to his 21 points on 10-of-18 shooting, Whiteside also amassed 16 boards (five offensive), two steals and that aforementioned block.
2. J. Johnson Gets Hot in the Third
With the HEAT down in the third quarter, James Johnson gave the team a much-needed jolt of energy. In fact, the former Raptor totaled nine points, two rebounds and an assist in the period. He also showed his versatility in the quarter, as he played the three when he first checked in after halftime. In total, Johnson tallied 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block against his former team.
3. T. Johnson Keeps Up the Hot Shooting
After a fantastic outing against the Kings, Tyler Johnson continued his torrid start to the season. In the first half on Friday, Johnson provided a spark off the bench for Miami and drilled his first four shots, three of which came from downtown.
On the flip side of the ball, he was scrappy as usual. One play in particular really showed the young man’s athleticism. With 6:48 to go in the second quarter, Lowry grabbed the defensive rebound and raced out in transition. Johnson met the point guard at the right wing on the other end, stayed with him and swatted his shot at the rim.
While Johnson cooled off a bit in the second half, he was vital in the early going. The 24-year-old finished with 16 points on 50 percent shooting, four rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks.
Other Takeaways:
Like T. Johnson, Dragić also had a quick start to the contest, especially from three-point land. That said, the point guard got to the rack a little bit in the fourth quarter as Miami was trying to mount a comeback. In all, Dragić scored 17 points, dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds.
Game Note:
Wayne Ellington (right thigh contusion) sat out.
Looking Ahead:
The HEAT continue their road trip to Oklahoma City for a matchup with the Thunder on Monday at 8:00 PM. After that, Miami returns home to face the Bulls Thursday at 8:00PM. Tickets for that game can be found here.