In a close battle consisting of back and forth action, the Miami Heat beat the Toronto Raptors 116-108. The Heat won their fourth straight game and are now in playoff position if the season ended today.
Stats
Jimmy Butler had yet another terrific game, leading the way with 27 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. For Toronto, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet combined for 48 points on 15/25 shooting. Lowry performed well considering he missed the last four games with a left thumb injury. But Pascal Siakam had a season-low 5 points after getting in foul trouble.
It was the Heat’s depth that won them the game, despite Tyler Herro‘s absence (hip injury). Veteran Goran Dragic was back in the lineup, racking up 15 points. Dragic was a key piece for Miami in its playoff run last season, but he has only appeared in 18 games for the Heat this season. Gabe Vincent, another deep bench piece for Miami, had a surprising 11 points, along with Andre Iguodala‘s 15.
“I thought we outplayed ‘em,” Toronto Coach Nick Nurse said. “I thought we outplayed ‘em in almost all facets. The ball just bounced their way a lot.”
Fred Vanvleet
Fred VanVleet had 24 points on Wednesday night, continuing his fantastic play from behind the arc. VanVleet is averaging 19.8 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 4.5 RPG after signing a large 4 year, $80M contract this offseason.
Up Next
The Miami Heat will face a tough Utah Jazz team on Friday, at 8:00 PM EST. Meanwhile, Toronto will face Houston on Friday, at 7:30 PM EST.