-If you like ugly basketball, tonight's game was for you. Or rather, the second half of Toronto's 96 to 72 loss to Miami was for you. The Raptors scored a franchise-low 23 second quarter points en route to the loss, their second straight and 41st on the season.
-The funny thing was that this one was actually really close for the first half. It took a LeBron James buzzer-beating drive for the Heat to take a one point lead into half, and the Raps actually looked like the superior club early on. Toronto was making great decisions with the ball on offence, and really getting everyone involved.
-But things dried up in the second half as the Raps' shots started to clank, turnovers piled up, and the Heat's secondary scorers began to get going. Mike Miller in particular was effective scoring 13 points and handing out six assists, and Udonis Haslem added 10 points and 7 rebounds. As well, Toronto again struggled to get to the free-throw line, taking only 15 all match.
-It's hard to take too much more out of this game as essentially it boiled down to LeBron James vs a bunch of D Leaguers. When Toronto's marquee player, DeMar DeRozan, goes 5 of 14 on the night for only 12 points, attempts only 3 free-throws, and is a minus 17...well...
-The silver lining of course is that the Raps notch another loss, their 41st on the season, keeping them within striking distance of a bottom five finish. As well, Ed Davis played 31 minutes and again Solomon Alabi got some run. Best of all though was the play of James Johnson, who continues to look like a different player post-benching. He had a team-high 18 points off the bench as well as six rebounds, two assists and three steals.
-The Raps now have a few days off before their next match on Sunday when they head to Detroit to take on the Pistons in an important draft lottery match-up.