Man…what does one say about game 7?
I feel too drunk on excitement to be comprehensive about what just happened. The Raptors not only won their second straight game 7 (who would have thought?), but did so in convincing fashion after having been embarrassed in game 6.
A 116-89 victory over the Heat, winning all four quarters, and outscoring Miami by 21 in the second half and 19 in the fourth quarter alone…that was decisive.
And it would be easy to just focus on Kyle Lowry. The man was a monster who dominated when the Raptors needed him the most. After early struggles in the playoffs, Lowry had his second straight dominant game, posting 35 points, 9 assts, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and a team best +31 in his 42 minutes of action.
It would also be easy to highlight Biyombo, who dominated on the boards, set incredible screens, came up with huge blocks, and proved with his game changing dunks that he was simply too strong for the Heat yesterday. He was so dominant he even angered Josh McRoberts enough to take a swing at him.
(While we’re here I’ll say my peace: McRoberts should have been ejected. You could see that play coming from a mile away. The swing was planned, and there was no play on the ball. Jerk move by McBob.)
But let’s take a moment to talk about Patrick Patterson. Despite shooting poorly (2-for-8 overall, 0-for-3 from three point land), Patterson’s fingerprints were all over this game. He went from being an early liability that committed a pathetic foul on a Dragic breakaway (he didn’t even contest the shot…he just ran back to pretend he was trying), to a dominant force on defense that helped swing the game towards Toronto.
Not only did he get to the line 7 times, and hit every single one of his free throws, the also took full advantage of Miami’s small-ball line-up. The Raptors as a team hauled in 20 offensive rebounds, while Patterson by himself matched the Heat’s total with 7 offensive board.
His overall game was less than what we anticipated due to his shot not falling, but his 11 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks were a game changing contribution. He also locked in defensively and was a thorn in the side of Miami for most of the night.
If not for his absent shooting touch, I would have given Patterson an A+ in the game 7 quick react. When he is on his game the Raptors are simply a different team. They play with a defensive edge, attack the glass with abandon, and can stretch the floor from multiple positions.
And if the Raptors are going to make any noise in the Eastern Conference Finals, they will need Patrick Patterson to be at the top of his game.
Man…that is still so fun to say. The Eastern Conference Finals!
56 regular season wins, 14 playoff victories, and a puncher’s chance at going further. Let the party roll on!
