May 5, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (5) slaps hands with center Jonas Valanciunas (17) after scoring a basket against Miami Heat in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors won 96-92. Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
By Dhiren Mahiban, The Sports Xchange
TORONTO — After scoring six unanswered to open overtime, the Toronto Raptors held on for a 96-92 win over the Miami Heat at Air Canada Centre on Thursday night.
The Raptors evened the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. The series moves to Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena for Game 3 on Saturday.
Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll led the way with 21 points and five rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan added 20 points and eight rebounds. Kyle Lowry chipped in 18 points and six assists.
Goran Dragic topped Miami with 20 points, while Dwyane Wade and Joe Johnson had 17 points each in the loss. Hassan Whiteside contributed 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas had nine fourth-quarter points to help erase what was once a seven-point Heat lead. Lowry then scored back-to-back Raptors baskets, sandwiching a Wade 3-pointer, to give Toronto an 86-83 lead, but Dragic hit a 3-pointer with 10.5 seconds remaining to force overtime.
Lowry fired an airball on a long 3-point attempt at the regulation buzzer.
Miami outscored Toronto 24-15 in the third quarter, closing on a 13-2 run to take a 65-63 lead into the fourth. The Heat shot 11-for-16 from the field in the third, while the Raptors hit just six of 20.
With Dragic in foul trouble, Johnson led the way with nine points while Wade added eight in the period.
Carroll scored 12 first-half points, including a nice give-and-go with Valanciunas to round out the half, giving the Raptors a 48-41 lead at the break.
Whiteside helped cut what was once a 14-point Raptors lead down to seven with 10 first-half points. Johnson had seven of the final nine Heat points in the second quarter, and he had eight at halftime.
Dragic, who had a team-high 11 points through two quarters, left the game with less than four minutes remaining in the second quarter with a lower lip laceration after taking a DeRozan elbow to the chin.
According to the team, Dragic received three stitches on the inside of his lip and five on the outside. His bottom teeth went through lip during contact.
The Heat matched a franchise worst by committing 11 first-quarter turnovers, helping the Raptors to a 29-19 lead after one period. Toronto scored 14 points off Miami’s first-quarter giveaways.
NOTES: F Chris Bosh, who spent his first seven seasons in Toronto, will not play again this season, the Heat announced. The 32-year-old veteran has not played since the All-Star break after a blood clot was discovered in his left leg. … Raptors G DeMar DeRozan wore a wrap on his right thumb, which he sprained late in Game 1, but he remained in the starting lineup. … Toronto’s offense during the playoffs ranked among the worst in points per game (92.8), field goal percentage (.401), 3-point percentage (.278) and turnovers (14) entering Game 2.
