Raptors Top Heat 96-92 In Game 2 Of Eastern Conference Semifinals

DeMarre Carroll scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 96-92 overtime victory over the Miami Heat at the Air Canada Centre on Thursday night.

Raptors Top Heat 96-92 In Game 2 Of Eastern Conference Semifinals

The Eastern Conference semifinal series is now tied 1-1. Game 3 is set for Saturday in Miami.

“I’m encouraged; we’ve got to take it,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “We’re finding other ways to win, that’s very encouraging. We’ve got to continue to grow with them, find ways to help them and hopefully get their rhythm.”

All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined to shoot 16-for-46 from the field. DeRozan, who had his right thumb taped up after inuring it in Game 1, finished with 20 points and eight rebounds.

“It’s been ugly,” DeRozan said with a laugh. “But when we do (play our game), I’m pretty sure you’re going to know. It’s a grind, honestly. We knew none of this was going to be pretty. None of this was going to come out pretty.

Lowry added 18 points and six assists. He shot 7-for-22 from the floor and 1-for-7 from 3-point range.

Goran Dragic led the Heat with 20 points, while Dwayne Wade and Joe Johnson each scored 17 points in the loss. Hassan Whiteside chipped in 13 points and 13 rebounds.

“The second half, I thought we were aggressive, I thought we were making some good defensive plays,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Then the last four or five minutes, they made (big) plays.”

Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas, who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, had nine points in the fourth quarter to help erase a seven-point Miami lead. Lowry then added consecutive baskets, and Wade sunk a three-pointer to give Toronto an 86-83 lead, but Dragic scored a three-pointer of his own with 10.5 seconds left to force overtime.

Lowry also shot an airball on a long-range 3-point attempt at the regulation buzzer.

Miami outscored Toronto 24-15 in the third quarter, ending with a 13-2 run to gain a 65-63 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Heat also shot 11-for-16 from the field in the third, while the Raptors scored just six of 20.

Miami also matched a franchise postseason record with 11 turnovers in the first, leading to 14 Toronto points. Miami finished with 21 turnovers.

PHOTOS: TORONTO, ON – MAY 05: DeMarre Carroll #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball as Justice Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat defends in the first half of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on May 5, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena