The Heat Ain't So Hot

RAPS 120, HEAT 113
The first half of last night's game may been the best half of basketball that I've seen from the Raptors this season. 

The Raptors scorched the Heat with 43 points in the second quarter and by halftime, the Raptors were up 69-49. You couldn't expect  much more from the Raps than that first half performace.  Your Killer B's guys were taking it to J.O., Michael Beasley and Joel Anthony, even another "B" guy in Marco Belinelli played well in the first half in his limited time, getting a nice collection of assists.  The only problem was that Belinelli disappered in the second half, and from watching the game, it may have been when D-Wade crossed him over and actually "broke" Belinelli's ankles. 

Your Killer B stats: Chris Bosh finished with 29 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks with Andrea Bargnani ate his Penne Pasta before the game and finished with 24 points, 10 boards and 2 swats.  Hedo (18 pts, 8 assists and 5 boards) capped off the half with a buzzer-beater three pointer to put the Raps up 20. 

But what's a Raptors game without a third quarter collapse?  D-Wade and Mario Chalmers got together and brought the Heat right back into it.  Wade did his thing, getting in the lane with his And 1's as the Heat crept back into it.  With 3:44 left in the fourth, after a James Jones jumper, that 22-point Raptors lead was now a 1-point lead, but someone saved the day for the Raps.  After all of Jarret's Jack's woes in the first half (and pretty much all season), Jack redeemed himself nailing two big threes in the final two minutes to put the nail in the coffin, scoring eight of the Raptors' last 13 points.

Key Notes:

• D-Wade and Marion Chalmers chipped in with 30 points a piece (career-high for Chalmers) combining for more that 50% of the Heat's offense
• The red hot Miami Heat have cooled off from their hot start, dropping their third game in a row
• Toronto shot a good percentage, shooting 57% from the field
• The Raps' bench killed the Heat's bench 36-10
• It was Filipino Night last night at the ACC (Represent!) due to Eric Spoelstra's visit to Toronto
• Canada Watch: Joel Anthony had 2 pts and 7 boards, Jamaal Magloire finished with a DNP-CD
• For a Heat perspective, check out Peninsula Is Mightier
• DeRozan Wach: 22 minutes, 7 points, 7 boards, 1 steal and a block

Next up:  the Orlando Magic on Sunday....

Photo credit: (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)