TORONTO — RJ Barrett was the standout performer with a remarkable 37 points, while Scottie Barnes contributed 23 points alongside 10 rebounds, leading the Toronto Raptors to a narrow 119-116 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday evening.
Jakob Poeltl put up solid numbers as well, recording 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while rookie Ja’Kobe Walter added 12 points to help the Raptors improve their home record to 5-4.
Barrett had an impressive shooting night, going 15 for 20 from the field and successfully sinking all four of his free-throw attempts. His performance from beyond the arc was also noteworthy, finishing 3 for 4 on three-pointers.
Barnes, who had just missed a triple-double in a prior matchup against Miami, managed nine assists this time, falling just shy of his seventh career triple-double.
For Miami, Tyler Herro led the scoring with 31 points, while Jimmy Butler contributed 17. However, the Heat saw their three-game winning streak come to an end, marking the first time this season they have not achieved three consecutive wins.
Herro displayed a strong long-range game, shooting 6 for 12 from three-point territory but failed to convert a critical three-pointer that could have tied the game in the dying seconds.
Bam Adebayo also made significant contributions for Miami, scoring 13 points and achieving a season-high with 20 rebounds. He previously set a career-high of 21 rebounds against Toronto back in November 2018.
Terry Rozier added 17 points, contributing to Miami’s road record now sitting at 5-5.
In terms of performances, Duncan Robinson struggled with his shooting, going 3 for 12 overall and finishing with eight points while shooting 2 for 7 from three-land.
On the other side, Barrett has now scored over 30 points in his last three home games and has hit the mark five times over the last seven games.
A crucial moment in the game occurred late in the third quarter when Barrett scored six points, helping Toronto propel themselves from a 77-75 deficit to an 88-79 advantage during a 13-2 run.
A significant statistic worth noting is that after hitting 21 of 54 shots from beyond the arc in their previous matchup against the Raptors, the Heat finished with a 15 for 40 shooting from three-point range on Sunday.
Looking ahead, Miami is set to face the Boston Celtics on Monday, while the Raptors will be hosting the Indiana Pacers in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday.
