For the second time in the 2016 NBA Playoffs, the Toronto Raptors throw away an opportunity to go up 3-1 in a playoff series. For the umpteenth time, DeMar DeRozan was ineffective on the court. And without Jonas Valanciunas in the lineup, the Raptors couldn’t find a suitable backup for Bismack Biyombo down low.
It wasn’t a terribly bad performance for the Raptors in totality. The Miami Heat struck first and led 25-21 after the first quarter and 44-35 at halftime, with Dwyane Wade leading the charge with 15 first half points. DeRozan and Kyle Lowry did not have a good shooting night (again, but more on that later), but the Raptors as a group would storm back in the 3rd quarter to take a 2 point lead into the 4th quarter, led by a strong defensive effort by Cory Joseph, DeMarre Carroll, and Biyombo.