Don’t press that button. In an 82-game NBA season, there are a slew of inevitable occurrences which will affect even the most grizzled and experienced teams. Among these is struggle. As demonstrated tonight by the Toronto Raptors in their 102-107 loss against the Miami Heat, despite an undefeated record and the “new season” mentality, nobody is immune to a weak performance. In the absence of starting foward Amir Johnson, the Raptors struggled to find a consistent flow throughout the contest and failed in the areas of free-throw shooting, rebounding and reliable scoring. The team has now lost 16 straight games against Miami and has notched its first loss of the young season. Key contributors DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for 55 points on 18-33 shooting, while James Johnson added eight points and three blocks in a much-needed defensive push. Miami saw a vintage performance from Dwyane Wade, who recorded an impressive 19 points, 11 rebound and seven assists. Chris Bosh added 21 points and 11 rebounds while starters Luol Deng and Shawne Williams combined for 34 points. In summation, tonight’s game came down to a horrendous showing at the free-throw line, a lack of rebounding effort on both ends of the floor and the first of many fatigue-plagued nights resulting from a two-game stand. The Raps will undoubtedly learn from this loss and adjust their overall performance going forward. Let’s dive into the post-game report card:
Offense: C-
Kids…hit your free throws. #Raptors
— Tim Micallef (@tim_micallef) November 3, 2014
Feels like the Raps have no business being in this game…yet, here they are…
— Tim Micallef (@tim_micallef) November 3, 2014
Tim Micallef stated it perfectly. Toronto’s shortcomings did not appear in its field goal percentage (46.8%) or its final score (102). Instead, the nagging deficit was attributed to a surprising lack of output at the free-throw line from all players. The team shot 24-39 from the stripe for a startling 61.5%. It’s more than safe to assume that Dwane Casey addressed this issue during and after the game, and will instill its impact before the next game. Aside from foul line troubles, DeRozan and Lowry both did an excellent job of finding scoring opportunities and facilitating runs. Unfortunately, they received little help from the rest of the team. Patrick Patterson started in place of Johnson, yet failed to produce a single point or rebound in 15 minutes of action. Additionally, the team shot just 25% from three-point range. The sole reason for this game’s close finish was the ability of the star guards to penetrate and attack the basket. DeRozan also showed a consistent midrange jumpshot which further rounds his personal offensive game. The lesson learned tonight is: maintain your focus and aim for consistency on both ends of the floor.
Defense: B
The Raptors’ defense against Miami was average at best. The Heat shot 50% from the field and saw solid contributions from its starting five. James Johnson’s ability to step on the court and provide instant hustle is definitely worth noting here. He uses his strength to outmuscle opponents and put forth an intimidating presence in the paint. Also worth mentioning is the defensive determination of Chuck Hayes. Although his statline may not stand out, he gave a similar effort in slowing the Heat’s big men. On one particular play, Hayes forced a 24 second violation after limiting Bosh’s post-up attempt. It’s performances like these which hold great value to the team and spark an overall push in defense.
Rebounding: D
When the other team outrebounds you by 15, your chances of winning are very low. Jonas Valanciunas led the team with just eight boards, while Miami saw two 11-rebound efforts from Bosh and Wade. Again, on the second night of a back-to-back, fatigue is inevitable and serves as partial reasoning for such a poor outing. However, the lack of output from the entire team in the rebounding column is astounding. This will certainly be an immediate area of improvement.
Game Ball: Dwyane Wade
Wade proved that he can still have a huge game in the absence of his friend Lebron James. He excelled in all areas and willed his team to a big win. Miami remains undefeated and is likely reassured by tonight’s performance from Wade.
2 thoughts on “Post Game Report Card: Raps fall short against Heat”