TORONTO — What you need when the following 4 tackle the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers is a few type of cushion.
The Miami Warmth squandered the chance Sunday night time with a 119-116 loss at Scotiabank Area to the lowly Toronto Raptors, a loss that dropped them to 9-9.
On this night time, even mediocrity proved to be a battle, which is all which may have been obligatory in opposition to an opponent who improved to 6-15.
As an alternative, the Warmth proved unable to double down in Friday night time’s 121-111 victory over the Raptors at Kaseya Heart, dominated within the paint by the Raptors and dominated on the scoreboard by Toronto ahead RJ Barrett, who closed with 37 factors.
The Warmth’s solely lasting decline got here from guard Tyler Herro who closed with 31 factors, with Jimmy Butler coming again considerably within the second half to complete with 17, compelled to sit down on the finish with an obvious knee problem.
In any other case, it was one other night time the place Warmth heart Bam Adebayo managed to do all the things however his offense, closing with a game-high 20 rebounds and 7 assists however simply 13 factors.
And, with that, the Warmth instantly needed to transfer on to Monday night time’s sport in opposition to the Celtics at TD Backyard, the place final season ended within the first spherical of the playoffs.
5 levels of warmth throughout Sunday night time’s sport:
1. Closing time: The Raptors led 34-24 after the primary interval and 65-60 at halftime.
The Warmth went up by three factors early within the third quarter, earlier than the Raptors regained a 98-87 lead heading into the fourth.
Butler then got here again with 7:10 left and the Warmth had been down 105-91.
From there, the Warmth rallied to inside 113-107 with 2:14 left on a Haywood Highsmith 3-pointer, with a Butler 3-point play pulling the Warmth to inside 113-110 with 1:27 to play.
The Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and Herro then exchanged 3-pointers, leaving the Warmth trailing 116-113 with 64 seconds left.
After a 24-second Raptors violation, Herro was off on a possible game-tying 3-pointer, with Barnes’ free throw making it 117-113 with 12.2 seconds left.
2. Herro from the start: Herro scored 13 factors within the first quarter, going 5 of 6 from the sector and three of 4 from 3-point vary.
He mainly stored the Warmth afloat early, with Adebayo 0-for-4 from the sector and Butler taking only one shot within the opening interval, every scoreless within the first quarter.
Herro, halfway by the opening interval, had prolonged his personal-best streak to 52 consecutive video games with a 3-point area purpose, 17 video games shy of Duncan Robinson’s franchise file, and prolonged his career-best streak to 48 consecutive video games with double-digit scoring.
Later, along with his fourth 3-pointer, Herro tied Tim Hardaway for second on the Warmth’s all-time 3-pointers record, with 806, behind solely Robinson.
Herro had 18 factors at halftime.
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3. Fill it (type of): Adebayo, even with no early offense, stuffed the rating but once more.
Two video games after posting a double-double in assists and rebounds in opposition to the Hornets and one sport after securing his eighth profession triple-double on the ultimate rebound of Friday night time’s victory in opposition to the Raptors, Adebayo was on this time with 11 rebounds and 6 assists. at halftime, but additionally simply 2 of 8 at that time for 4 factors.
The rebound continued. Assists have decreased. However the factors by no means arrived in adequate amount.
4. Restricted elevator: As Butler stuffed up his scoring complete in latest video games by grinding his option to the foul line, the dearth of carry grew to become increasingly evident.
Throughout a second-quarter stretch Sunday, Butler, 35, was unable to get better from an alley-oop go from Jaime Jaquez Jr., then was credited with two of his 5 factors within the first halftime on a Raptors goalie, when he tried a backhand. a layup in transition that seemed to be misplaced.
Within the third quarter, Butler reset his sport with extra of a bump-and-grind sort play, working his option to the road, till a knee jerk on his 3-down play factors will get him out late.
5. Restricted size: With first-round decide Kel’el Ware being a late minimize on account of foot tendinitis and with Nikola Jovic returning to South Florida with a sprained ankle, the Warmth, already undersized, had been nonetheless undersized on Sunday.
This allowed the Raptors to assault with nearly impunity, closing with a 68-46 benefit within the paint.
For all of Adebayo’s defensive versatility off the ball, he did not show he was a match for the Raptors’ 7-foot, 253-pound beginning heart Jacob Poeltl, who outplayed him for the second instances in as many video games, this time with 17 factors.
