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The Toronto Raptors, on Sunday night, won for the 17th time this season. This time it was the Miami Heat who were brushed aside by the Raptors 125-115. One Miami Heat player namely Dwayne Wade, who is in the twilight of his career, didn’t make the Raptors victory easy but he didn’t have much help.
The Raptors, on the other hand, are a deep team consistently playing at least ten men a night. Everyone on the Raptors side received at least 13 minutes and Kawhi Leonard played the most at 36 minutes. Leonard also had a double-double at 29 points and 10 rebounds while Pascal Siakam contributed 21 points and 6 rebounds.
In all, the Raptors had seven players, with double-digit scoring, and also got a double-double from center Jonas Valanciunas at 17 points and 10 rebounds. In 24 minutes Valanciunas frustrated Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside who recorded just 2 points.
Dwayne Wade, the three-time NBA champion and soon to be retired future hall of fame inductee, came up with a classic 'Flash' game. With 35 points in 34 minutes. He literally scored more than a point per every minute he was on the floor. However, the loss leaves Miami at 7-12 in the season.
The key takeaways from this contest are.
#1 Miami Heat starters didn't show up
As mentioned already, center Hassan Whiteside scored two points in just 12 minutes. He was not the only under performing Heat starter. The other four combined for 42 points and the whole starting unit only shot 31.9%. In stark contrast, mostly thanks to Dwayne Wade’s 35 points, Miami’s second unit showed up and produced 77 points.
For Miami to turn around their substandard start to the season, the starters will need to show up every game and produce. What may be hurting Miami is the fact that usual starter Goran Dragic is currently out of the line up and starting shooting guard Dion Waiters has not played yet due to ankle surgery from earlier this year.
#2 Dwayne Wade might be retiring but still has some game in him
A three-time NBA Champion, in his last season, in the Association, Dwayne Wade still has game. 35 points in 34 minutes is massive production from a guy who no longer starts and is apparently at the end of his career.
This was easily Wade’s best outing of the season. The unfortunate thing is Miami could not turn Wade's performance into a win because too many other Heat players had off nights. For the season, Dwayne Wade is shooting 46.3%, from the field and amazingly is 39.6% from three-point range.
Wade only averages 29% for his career from behind the arc. Always able to get to the basket at will and knock down mid-range shots, its remarkable that even at the end a great player is still evolving and working on his game. If Miami somehow sneaks into the bottom end of the playoff picture, in the Eastern Conference, Wade could be a nightmare for any potential first round match-up.
#3 Pascal Siakam just keeps on getting better
Pascal Siakam is a wonder to watch. A late second-round pick by the Raptors in 2016, he just gets more interesting to watch as the season progresses. He will need to fill out his frame and get stronger and become more consistent from behind the arc, but the Raptors energizer bunny has a motor that does not quit, he runs and he keeps expanding his game.
In his third season, Siakam has gone from averaging 4.2 points per game in his rookie year to 7.3 points per game last year and now is currently averaging 14.5 points per game so far this season.
His ability to rebound and advance the ball the length of the court catches opposing defenses, in transition. He had 21 against the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Earlier this month, Siakam was honored as the Player of the Week (November 5-11, 2018). His future is bright in Toronto.
The Toronto Raptors will face the Memphis Grizzlies next on Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 at 8 pm and then have an interesting match-up, on Thursday night, against defending NBA Champions the Golden State Warriors.
