The two-game losing streak is over!
Simply put, it was a great victory and a total team effort! 51 rebounds for the home team!
Recap
The Miami Heat (1-2) won in spectacular fashion against the Toronto Raptors (1-2) on the hardwood at FTX Arena, 112-109, capturing their first win of the regular season.
Jimmy Butler (24 points, 5 assists) continues to impress and prove of all of the doubters wrong. Butler was 7-16 from the field and 8-9 at the charity stripe. Contributions also came from Max Strus (20 pts), Kyle Lowry (17 pts), and Tyler Herro (14 points, 8 rebounds). Plus, Bam Adebayo cashed in with 10 points, seven boards, and slammed some dunks home.
Starting off in the first quarter, the Heat turned the ball over twice right out of the gate where Pascal Siakam (23 points) netted the running layup giving Toronto an early 2-0 lead. Miami turned the corner with the three-ball with baskets from Gabe Vincent and Tyler Herro, where Miami took an 8-5 lead advantage at 9:19 in the first. The four free throws made by Martin and Adebayo were crucial to put up the Heat by five, 19-14.
In other words, the next six minutes for the Heat were very important. Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes tallied up 14 points combined, keeping the Raptors alive in this ballgame. The heroic efforts of Herro, the three’s from Lowry, and the driving layups of Butler kept Miami in it. At 50.6 seconds left in the first quarter, Duncan Robinson drilled a three-pointer to give Miami a 38-30 cushion.
Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr. (23 points) closed out the first quarter with a three to cut Miami’s lead down to 38-33 with 2.1 seconds left. Siakam and Herro led both squads with a total of nine points each after one quarter. Precious Achiuwa and O.G. Anunoby also cashed in.
In the second quarter, Martin was relentless attacking the glass with the put-back layups, giving Miami a 47-39 point advantage at 7:53.
Scottie Barnes (11 first-half points) seized the opportunity with layups of his own. Overall, the Heat missed one free throw in the first half, going 16-17.
Four of the Heat’s players were in double figures: Butler and Strus each with 13 points, Herro with 12, and Lowry with 10.
The Heat attacked the glass for 31 boards, and they never looked back with a 71-50 rout going into the locker room. Meanwhile, the Raptors committed 15 personal fouls.
In the second half, three free throws from Lowry were executed immediately as the Raptors put themselves into a hole. Yes, Miami has to take better care of the ball and not turn it over a ton.
Butler showed why he is worth every penny for the burning Heat, hitting his first three at 9:14 of the third quarter. Butler drove to the basket for another layup, as he scored five points in a row.
Miami had a widespread 81-57 lead.
At 7:46, Christian Koloko and Martin both get ejected with double technical fouls.
The Raptors closed the gap as Thaddeus Young got a tip-in layup, and he capitalized for four easy points.
Toronto put Miami back at the line, and Vincent found the open net for the two free throws keeping the Heat afloat at 92-83.
Miami was shooting, dunking, and floating the basketball right by Toronto in the fourth quarter of action, as they captured the victory.
Next Up
The Miami Heat will host the Toronto Raptors yet again in a two-game series set. Yes, the rematch will take place on Monday night, October 24th, as tipoff begins at 7:30 PM.
Can the Heat stop Siakam, Trent Jr., and Achiuwa in the next upcoming contest?
We shall all see!