Toronto (2-1) at Miami (1-2)
When: Monday, May 9th 2016
Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: TNT
The Toronto Raptors will look to take a commanding series lead when they visit the Miami Heat for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. Guard Kyle Lowry finally found his shooting touch after a miserable start to the postseason. He scored 29 of his 33 points in the second half of Game 3 to help Toronto take a 2-1 series lead with a 95-91 victory. Lowry was shooting 30.8% through the first nine postseason games and went 2-of-14 from 3-point range in the first two games against the Heat before breaking out with five 3-pointers in the second half on Saturday. Toronto hung around in Game 1 and earned an overtime win in Game 2 in part because center Jonas Valanciunas controlled the middle with a pair of double-doubles. Valanciunas added 16 points and 12 rebounds in 22 minutes in Game 2 before leaving with a sprained ankle and is out indefinitely. Small forward DeMarre Carroll went 11-fof-20 from the field in the first two games but slipped to 2-of-9 in Game 3.
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get up to a $250 Deposit Bonus and to bet all the Web’s best NBA Basketball odds and props!
The Heat decided to ride or die with Dwyane Wade at the end of Game 3 and left Goran Dragic, who led the team in scoring in the first two games of the series, on the bench down the stretch. Wade matched Lowry with 29 of his game-high 38 points in the second half but Joe Johnson missed a tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds and the Raptors sealed the win at the free-throw line. Johnson is now 0-for-10 from three-point range in the series. Center Hassan Whiteside lasted only six minutes into Game 3 before going down with a right knee injury, and he is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game. Miami cut down on the turnovers in Game 3 committing only 10 after totaling 41 in the first two games of the series. Aside from Wade, Udonis Haslem was the only other Heat to make more than half of his shots (4-for-7) in Game 3.
With the centers being out, this could turn into a guard game. Lowry’s big Game 3 could not only give him a boost, but maybe DeRozan as well. Whiteside is a big loss for Miami. I can see Toronto winning this game, so I’ll take the points.
Pick: Raptors +5.5
