57-24 – Heat/Wade not in playoffs because Norm showed up lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDoCXV9d78c
Raptors rally to beat Heat – Yahoo
Three – Unimaginative: Nick Nurse might have his reasons to not call a set play, but it’s unacceptable that so many possessions in crunch time come down to Kawhi Leonard dribbling and attacking a set defense. He can be a great finisher, but Leonard isn’t exactly James Harden off the dribble. He’s at his best when he catches it in the post, before facing up and attacking from the midrange like Carmelo Anthony. The Raptors wasted a chance to end the game in regulation because Leonard dribbled for 20 seconds before clanking a contested three over James Johnson, and they simply can’t afford these mistakes when it counts.
Raptors pull out gritty win over Heat, but room for growth still exists – Yahoo
Over and over, the Heat abused Toronto’s pick-and-roll defence, whether it be ball-handlers rejecting screens and going the other way, Hassan Whiteside having his way inside and providing the sporadic pop threat, and even a couple of Dion Waiters island moments were mixed in. We can get to Leonard’s final possession at the end of regulation in a minute, but that second quarter 23-11 Miami run is where, I think, a majority of Monday’s film session courtesy of Adrian Griffin will come from.
You really see the impact James Johnson of the Heat can have as a secondary ball-handler working off Goran Dragic and Wade, but you can also see the consistent lack of communication between the Raptors. There’s Siakam not calling out a screen for VanVleet, the weakside defence not reacting in time or even just switching when the other defender isn’t expecting it. Some of this may be the byproduct of an early start time, but as we all know, Toronto is not immune to early afternoons in the playoffs.
The issues offensively during the run primarily stemmed from the Raptors looking to attack the zone from the nail (middle of the foul line) and challenging mostly Ibaka and to a lesser extent Anunoby to make decisions out of it. With Ibaka, he presents a shooting threat from that area of the floor, but his ability to recognize the next play in timely fashion or the pass that can lead to the assist still leaves you wistful for better.
Anunoby is neither a shooting threat nor has he developed the playmaking chops to be a fulcrum to attack the zone. Gasol is more than adept at operating as a zone buster, so some of this may just be to give those two players a look at a responsibility they may need to take on if Nurse is ever in a situation where he needs to break glass. Good on Erik Spoelstra for seeing what the Raptors can come up with in the zone in the absence of Gasol and Siakam, though.
Things could have been much worse for the Raptors heading into the second half if not for playoff Norm making an early appearance. Powell was stellar in giving the Raptors offence a jolt with 23 points in 21 minutes off the bench on a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, including four attempts from three-point range.
Raptors’ hybrid lineups are still unreliable as the playoffs arrive – The Athletic [$$$]
All things considered, this was as close to a dry run for a playoff rotation that Nick Nurse has used this year. Only nine players played, with Jeremy Lin sitting out. All of the starters were near or at their season averages in minutes, even before overtime began. Saying that, Nurse still tried to get a look at several permutations of a hybrid lineup.
“I like ’em all, I like ’em all,” Nurse said of those groups. “I think we’re versatile. I think all those guys can play. I think all those guys want to play, they need to play and it’s up to us to adjust to which ones are out there.
“Finding who’s playing (well) on the night, finding the mismatches and all those things, it’s part of why we’re doing so many (lineups) — you never know what you’re going to have to see. Us being able to adjust to our own different offence and (defensive) lineups, the coverages change with who’s in there, the offensive sets are changing depending on who’s in there and we have to be able to do it on the fly quickly.”
Nurse might like them, but none of them has been reliably successful. To end the first quarter, he used a lineup with Siakam and four reserves, one that let him down in Charlotte on Friday night. On the year, the Raptors have scored 102.2 points per 100 possessions with that look and allowed 106.6. Against the Heat, that group was outscored 9-2.
In the second, Nurse used Lowry and Leonard with three reserves, a lineup facilitated by Leonard leaving the game earlier than usual in the first quarter because of two quick fouls. In just 70 minutes before the game, that lineup iteration had scored 100.7 points per 100 possessions and surrendered 120.9, way too much given the defensive talent on the floor. Again, the Heat scored a bucket on each of their first seven possessions and outscored the Raptors 14-10.
In the third quarter, there was another version, with Leonard playing the final 3:06 of the frame and Green playing most of it along with the bench. Those lineups have been slaughtered this year, but played to a draw against the Heat. Finally, Lowry played with four reserves to start the fourth quarter, a lineup that has historically been part of the Raptors’ success but this season has been a slight net negative. The Raptors lost nearly six minutes by just a single point Sunday.
Those are a lot of numbers, and on their own, none of them means a ton. Together, though, there is no hybrid lineup that has been predictably productive this season.
Raptors still searching for their own Dwyane Wade heading into playoffs – Sportsnet.ca
As the Raptors out-lasted Miami 117-109 in overtime Sunday afternoon Wade was the Heat’s player still trying to work the game. He led Miami with 21 points, five assists and three rebounds in 33 minutes off the bench. While hardly an elite three-point shooter in his career Wade was four-of-six from deep against Toronto, his step-back corner three kept the Heat in touch midway through the extra frame.
A moment later he drove deep into the defence and fired a bullet past the collapsing defence to a wide-open James Johnson. Wade then rocketed to the rim in traffic and tapped Johnson’s miss straight back to Goran Dragic, who missed his three too. Wade then assisted on a Dion Waiters triple that was the Heat’s last gasp. He gave everything right to the end.
The loss was Miami’s fourth straight and dropped them to 1.5 games out of eight with two games to play. The math says the Heat may be done, and Wade too. What will very likely be his last home game will be Tuesday night.
“The people in that arena have watched me grow, make a lot of mistakes in life and watched me blossom and do amazing things and great things,” he said. ‘I’m grateful for it … it’s going to be emotional if my last drive from that arena means I’m not coming back to it.”
The Raptors can look ahead. The win was their sixth in their last seven games and improved their record to 57-24, the second-highest win total in franchise history. With one game left in the regular season, the Raptors seem primed for a long playoff run, although we’ve said that before.
They head to Minnesota for the season finale Tuesday healthy and playing a reasonably cohesive brand of basketball with hopes that the best is yet to come. Most significant? Leonard seems crisp – playing a Sunday noon start after playing a road game Friday was his tightest turnaround of the season given he sat out every back-to-back.
The conservative approach to managing his thigh issues seems to have worked. He finished with 22 points and four assists in 38 minutes. He got the ball out of his hands quickly late in the overtime period, saw it zing around the perimeter and find a wide-open Pascal Siakam who knocked down the corner three to put Toronto up seven with 39 seconds left and gave him 23 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Toronto also got 23 points from Norm Powell, who was a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBCignCIX0g
Recap: Toronto Raptors ice Miami Heat in overtime, 117-109 – Raptors HQ
Leading the charge for the Raptors were the twin energy boosters of Siakam and Powell, who put in 23 points apiece. Siakam went off on 8-of-10 shooting, plus ten rebounds. He also had five points in OT, including a game-sealing three in front of the Heat bench. Powell, for his part, shot nearly perfect, going 7-of-7 from the field (with four 3s), and was just a missed free throw away from the 1.000 line. That pair was joined by a late-breaking Kawhi Leonard, who had 16 of his 22 points in the second half, despite the Heat’s continuous physical pressure.
The Raptors also got true-to-form-of-late performances from the rest of their starters. Kyle Lowry didn’t shoot the ball well (1-of-8 from the field, zero 3s), but had nine rebounds, five assists, and more than one hit-ahead pass to a streaking Siakam. Similarly, Marc Gasol didn’t score a ton (just eight points), but had seven assists and ten rebounds, finishing a +23 on the afternoon. That Gasol was able to keep Adebayo in check for most of his run (2-of-7 from the field; though, yes, 13 rebounds) is something to remember as well when watching the big man lumber around out there. He knows where to be at all times on both ends of the floor.
And then there was Danny Green, who looked like he tweaked both his ankles — one late in regulation, then the other in OT — while he was scoring seven of his 21 points in the game’s extra frame. Once again Green shot the lights out, going 5-of-9 from deep, with two assists and three rebounds. It was exactly the kind of shooting Toronto needed today, and will continue to be extremely nice to have as this team heads into the post-season.
Like many of the Raptors’ contests against the Heat, this was another drawn out fight. Miami kept the pressure on for the entire game, and tried different looks — including a zone defense the Raptors busted by first using OG Anunoby and then Siakam in the traditional centre position on the floor — to slow Toronto down. When they succeeded in, say, quieting Kawhi however, they’d let Norm go off, or give up a sudden run from Serge Ibaka (12 points, three blocks). Miami is now 38-42 and barring some spectacularly good breaks, could find their summer coming up faster than they expected.
Which means we may be a few games away from the end of Dwyane Wade’s career. The Heat legend had 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting with four 3s and five assists. It felt like he was almost always ready with a timely shot for the Heat — until, in this case, he wasn’t. At the end of regulation, with Siakam draped all over him, Wade missed the jumper to win it. And in OT he could only muster one last three — half of the Heat’s six points in the extra period — before wilting under Toronto’s superior talent. Credit to him though, Wade played the same way he’s always played against the Raptors: impossible to kill, never-say-die, always giving his team a chance to win.
A couple of weeks ago it felt possible the Raptors would see the Heat in the first round of the playoffs and have to deal with Wade’s stubborn magic one last time. Now with four losses in a row for Miami, that will definitely not be the case. The Raptors have one game left on the season and feel destined for a series against the Magic, Nets, or Pistons. If nothing else, it’s a tribute to Wade that this comes as something of a relief. He would definitely do something to win the Heat a game in a playoff series against Toronto, and we’d hate to see it — while secretly marvelling in the fact that it could still be seen.
Winderman’s view: Raptors 117 , Heat 109 (OT) – Sun Sentinel
— “One game,” Green said, “he would be limping and looking a little old and we’re like, ‘Alright, we got him.’ Then, the next game, he would come out and be the old Flash and be doing Euro-steps and dunking on people. I’m like, ‘What the hell happened? What did he eat today?’ He’s a very special, special player and an even better person.”
— Of Wade’s legacy, Green said, “He could have been an MVP player at least once in his career. He could have been Rookie of the Year. He could have been a max player. But in that organization he’s always been the guy to take the cut. But they brought him in, they took care of him, and respected him. But there’s been a lot of times where he was kind of looked at as the other guy.”
— Going into the game, Green added, “Hopefully it’s not his last time playing in Toronto. It might be playoffs. I’m hoping they get a playoff seed for him.”
— Green acknowledged the Raptors being in a different place than the Heat.
— “I think guys are getting a little antsy,” he said. “I think most teams are. Figuring out who we’re going to play, who we end up with in the first-round matchup and kind of just getting the regular season over with. We have that luxury.”
— He added, “We’ve got four or five teams fighting for that seven and eight spot, trying to get in the playoffs. So we’re lucky enough and we’ve put ourselves in a pretty good position to be able to just relax and not worry about it too much and just focus on what we need to do to get better going into the playoffs.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYH3q09PDA8
Heat loses in Toronto, playoff hopes teetering | Miami Herald
The Heat could have won it in regulation, but James Johnson missed a difficult three point shot from the corner, and Bam Adebayo’s basket off a rebound was ruled to have come after the clock expired.
Danny Green scored the first five points of overtime, before Dwyane Wade’s three cut Miami’s deficit to two. But an offensive rebound and basket from Pascal Siakam pushing Toronto’s lead to 110-106.
But Miami committed a shot-clock violation on its next possession, and Goran Dragic and Johnson both missed threes on Miami’s next possession.
Wade then missed a three with 1:03 left, leaving the deficit at four. Siakam then hit a three, making it 113-106 with 39 seconds left. A three from Dion Waiters cut the margin to 113-109, but the Raptors hit free throws to seal it.
The Heat’s bench kept Miami afloat with strong work in the second half and clutch play in the fourth quarter.
Wade, in perhaps the final days of his final season, was once again invaluable, with seven in the fourth quarter and a three in overtime on a 21-point game. Wade hit four of six from three-point range.
Johnson scored 10 of his 18 in the fourth quarter and added four rebounds and five assists.
Hassan Whiteside scored 14 points in the first half, then had three rebounds and a blocked shot in the fourth to close with 14 points and 9 rebounds.
But Adebayo replaced him for the final five minutes and overtime. Adebayo had 13 boards and played decent defense on Leonard, when those two were matched up, but shot 2 for 7.
In fact, all of the Heat’s starters shot poorly.
Dion Waiters scored 17, but shot just 6 for 16. Goran Dragic (nine points) was 4 for 12. Justise Winslow had 15 points but shot 6 for 18.
Kawhi Leonard had only 9 points on 3 for 9 shooting midway through the third quarter but closed with 22.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhszQFrPuFs
Powell, who has a history of playing his best basketball in the spring, busted out in Sunday’s matinee with a team-best 23 points. The only shot he missed all day came from the free-throw line as he went 7-for-7 from the field including a perfect 4-for-4 from long range.
“I’m just out there playing basketball and trying to get these last few wins, get locked in before the playoffs and take advantage of the games to work on details, try to impact the game wherever I can, find opportunities to be aggressive on offence and on defence,” Powell said of his season-high point total.
As for Powell’s reputation for being a guy who delivers in the biggest moments (primarily playoff time), Nurse believes it’s as much about Powell’s confidence as it is anything else.
“Who he is, is an athlete so he can make some high-level, high-energy plays,” Nurse said. “He’s really believing in his shooting so he’s going to take them. That’s part of the battle in a big game, are you really hunting them down and are you really ready to pull the trigger when they come to you. He’s OK there and every now and then he’ll break free and get a cut and go down the lane for a big slam dunk or something. He can make big plays and big games.”
Down the stretch when the Raptors needed stops, Nurse had Kawhi Leonard on another guy who lives and shines greatest in the big moment. That would be Dwyane Wade, who is calling it a career after 16 stunning seasons in an NBA uniform.
Wade, who always seems to play well in Toronto, didn’t waver this time, finishing with a Heat-best 21 off the bench, but with Leonard and the Raptors defence denying him the ball in the latter stages of regulation and overtime, he wasn’t a factor, hitting just one three-pointer in the extra period.
Toronto outscored Miami 14-6 in the overtime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o-qLsYarD0
Why Norm Powell might be the Raptors’ secret playoff weapon — again | The Star [$$$]
Powell could emerge as a key contributor for the Raptors, who are constantly seeking big performances by somebody off the bench. Some nights it might be Fred VanVleet, some nights Serge Ibaka. OG Anunoby has the potential, but of that group Powell has vital experience.
In three springs, he’s appeared in 33 playoff games and started eight. He’s averaged as much as 11.7 points per game — two springs ago, in nine games — and shot 35 per cent overall from three-point range.
His regular season has been inconsistent, with Nurse always worrying about his propensity to commit turnovers and try to force too many things, but Powell has shown a calmness and steadiness of late that goes with the time of year. And with his fellow backups all over the place — VanVleet had three points on Sunday, and Anunoby didn’t score — he’s going to play.
“Norm’s going to be involved, for sure,” Nurse said. “He could be the sixth guy one night and the ninth guy another night, the seventh guy one night.”
In his even-keeled manner, Powell isn’t going to get too overtly pumped up about the possibility of a large playoff role, but he knows what he’s capable of doing and fully confident he can do it consistently if given the chance. It’s how he’s handled himself during his entire four years with the Raptors.
“I’m just out there playing basketball and trying to get these last few wins, get locked in before the playoffs and take advantage of the games to work on details, try to impact the game wherever I can,” he said. “Find opportunities to be aggressive on offence and on defence.”
Siakam, Powell lead Raps to victory over desperate Heat – Video – TSN
Pascal Siakam’s ascent has put him as the front-runner for the Most Improved Player award in the NBA and it’s no surprise why, as the Raptors’ budding star continues to develop all aspects of his game. Jack Armstrong and Leo Rautins discuss Siakam and Norman Powell’s improvement this season and how much better they make the Raps heading into the playoffs.
Ranking The Top 10 Players Of The 2018/19 Season – Fadeaway World
7. Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is a winner. Fueling the Raptors to a 60 win season and a two seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Kawhi once again proves he’s an elite force in the league. He’s arguably one of the best two-way players in the league ready to lead the city of Toronto to the NBA Finals.
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