Heat Beat Raptors, Extend Winning Streak To 22 Games
The Miami Heat beat the Toronto Raptors 108-91 Sunday for their 22nd straight win, dating back to a loss in Indiana against the Pacers Feb. 1. LeBron James led the Heat with a double-double, finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
The Heat went on a 8-2 run to end the first quarter in Toronto and led by 12 at the half. The Raptors came alive in the third quarter and came within three points of the Heat after DeMar DeRozan’s jumper with nine seconds left.
Toronto made it a one-point game when Amir Johnson dunked on the Raptors first possession of the fourth quarter. Any momentum gained disappeared quickly as the Heat went on a 8-0 run just after the dunk, highlighted by a Dwyane Wade alley-oop from half-court.
Wade finished with 24 points and nine assists while Chris Bosh added 18 points including going 2-for-3 from behind the arc. With the win Sunday, the Miami Heat tied the second-longest winning streak in NBA history with the 2007-08 Houston Rockets at 22 straight games.
Rudy Gay, who was traded to the Raptors earlier this season from the Memphis Grizzlies, led all scorers Sunday with 27 points. Gay grabbed eight rebounds and Amir Johnson was great in the paint, finishing with 18 points and 18 rebounds in the loss.
The Raptors have now lost seven of their last 10 gamesbut face the worst team in the NBA Wednesday in the Charlotte Bobcats. The Raptors beat the Bobcats 92-78 Friday.
The Miami Heat face off with Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics on Monday in hopes of winning their 11th straight road game. Ray Allen signed with the Heat this past offseason after playing for the Celtics for five seasons. Allen is playing his best basketball during the Heat’s win streak, and scored 20 points off the bench Sunday.
The Heat have already clinched a playoff spot and hold the best record in all of the NBA, making this winning streak even sweeter. The defending NBA champions are the favorites again this year, and that’s a pretty good pick considering the Heat have beaten every team in the NBA at least once this season.
The Raptors are now eight games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference due to running into the Heat. The Miami Heat beat the Raptors Sunday after pulling away in the fourth quarter and show no signs of slowing down in their quest to repeat as the NBA champions.
