Toronto - XINHUA
Miami Heat guards Goran Dragic and Dwayne Wade combined for 50 points in the team's 102-96 overtime victory over Toronto Raptors in the opening game of their NBA's Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series on Tuesday evening.
Leading 89-83 with under seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Miami allowed Toronto to make a miraculous comeback that was capped off by a Kyle Lowry three-pointer from mid-court to send the game into overtime at 90-90.
"Guys were a little down. We knew we blew the opportunity to win the game in regulation," said Heat All-Star Wade on Lowry's half-court heave. "Took those couple of minutes off to think about what happened. By the time you get out of that timeout you got to forget about it and move on."
"We had to win the game twice tonight," Wade added.
During the extra frame, Miami scored the first eight points and never looked back. After managing four points in the first half, Wade scored 20 in the second half and overtime, including 7 in the extra frame.
"He willed a bunch of plays down the stretch on both ends," said Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra following the win in Toronto. "That's the mental toughness that he always shows in these moments."
Wade finished the game with 26 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Dragic also had a strong second half, scoring 18 of his game-high 26 points in the third and fourth quarters.
"What I love about Goran is he is always focused on doing his job, competing as hard as he can regardless of the circumstances," complemented Spoelstra. "He doesn't get caught up in the world ups and downs that inevitably happen in the playoffs."
With the road victory, Miami has now won at least one road game in 18 consecutive playoff series, an NBA record.
Miami will look for one more road win on Thursday when the teams continue their series in Toronto.