Fred VanVleet scored a career-high 36 points, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 107-103 win over the Miami Heat yesterday afternoon in an NBA restart game near Orlando.
VanVleet, an undrafted fourth-year pro from Wichita State, made 8-of-16 from the floor, including 7-of-12 on three-pointers, and 13-of-13 free throws. He also had five rebounds and four assists, and his seven three-pointers set a career record.
Raptors forward Pascal Siakam had 22 points, although he was held to just seven in the second half. Toronto also got 15 points off the bench from Serge Ibaka and starting point guard Kyle Lowry finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Miami was led by Goran Dragic’s 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. The Heat also got 17 points from Kelly Olynyk and 16 points each from Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder.
Toronto, which led by as many as eight points in the first half, was up 23-17 after one quarter and 48-44 at the break.
The Heat had numerous open looks in that first half but shot just 39.5 percent from the floor, including 5-of-23 on three-pointers (21.7 percent).
Toronto shot just 40.5 percent from the floor in the first half but managed to hit on 9-of-21 on three-pointers (42.9 percent), and that made a big difference.
In the third quarter, Toronto stretched its lead to 17 points, but Miami cut its deficit to 84-79 by the end of the period. VanVleet scored 18 points in the third.
The Heat took their first lead of the second half on Dragic’s three-pointer with 10:12 left in the fourth, putting Miami up 87-84.
Toronto then went back on top, and Dragic missed a free throw with 40 seconds left that could’ve tied the score. A Heat turnover off of Butler’s hands with 17 seconds left also hurt Miami. The final blow was a bad pass by Butler with 7.4 seconds left.
The difference in the game was 3-point shooting. Toronto made 50 percent (16-for-32), and Miami connected on 31.1 percent (14-for-45).
—Field Level Media