Raptors 102, Heat 92
Kyle Lowry recorded 19 points, eights rebounds, eight assists and seven steals as host Toronto downed Miami to snap a 16-game losing skid in the series.
DeMar DeRozan went 12-of-13 from the foul line en route to 18 points for the Raptors, who beat the Heat for the first time since Jan. 27, 2010. Lou Williams led the reserves with 14 points, Amir Johnson had 13 and Greivis Vasquez finished with 12 for Toronto, which moved ahead of Chicago by percentage points in the race for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Dwyane Wade scored 25 points and Goran Dragic had 18 points and five assists for Miami, which committed 20 turnovers. Michael Beasley produced 11 points and nine rebounds while Hassan Whiteside added nine points and 12 boards after serving a one-game suspension as the Heat fell a half-game behind Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
Toronto scored the first seven points of the third quarter to pull ahead 57-41 and Patrick Patterson knocked down back-to-back jumpers to give the Raptors their biggest lead of the game at the time at 77-59. Lowry drilled a 3-pointer and Williams made all three free throws after being fouled from downtown to put Toronto on top 84-63 and the Raptors held off a late charge by Miami to halt a four-game skid.
Toronto led 21-18 despite shooting 31.8 percent from the floor in the first quarter before Williams drained two 3-pointers as part of a 12-2 run to put the Raptors ahead 41-27. Wade connected from beyond the arc to spark a 9-1 spurt that trimmed the deficit to seven, but James Johnson threw down a two-handed slam late in the first half to give Toronto a 50-41 lead at intermission.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Raptors' bench outscored the Heat's reserves 40-24. … Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas was given the night off after the birth of his son. … Miami started out 0-of-9 from 3-point range before finishing 5-of-23.