Takeaways for Toronto as Raptors Fall Short in Overtime vs. Heat

The Toronto Raptors clawed out of an early hole but couldn't do quite enough in an overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Friday

Feb 21, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) battles for a loose ball against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images / Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Miami Heat 120, Toronto Raptors 111

Crunch Time

Maybe this was for the best.

Toronto has preached the value of learning experiences and playing in high-pressure moments. On Friday, the Raptors got exactly that. They battled back from an early deficit and showed resilience down the stretch in the fourth quarter.

Immanuel Quickley came up with a crucial stop, picking off a lazy pass from Andrew Wiggins and sprinting down the court for a pull-up three. Tyler Herro answered with a three of his own as the Heat refused to go away, but an RJ Barrett layup looked like it might be enough to seal it for Toronto.

Then came the mistake. Barrett fouled Wiggins in the corner on a three-point attempt, handing Miami a chance to tie the game at the line.

Toronto still had a shot to reclaim the lead late. Scottie Barnes attacked Herro but couldn’t convert, and Bam Adebayo’s floater in the final seconds bounced out, sending the game to overtime.

That’s where things unraveled.

Herro took over, and the Raptors’ offense faltered, with costly misses allowing Miami to pull away in the extra frame.

"We wanted to have Scottie running their best player at the time Tyler Herro and the idea was to have Jonathan Mogbo so we can switch to those pick-and-rolls there," said Raptors coach Darko Rajaković whose team was unable to contain Herro and Bam Adebayo in overtime. "It's going to be a really, really good learning for us to take a look at that film and then see what we need to do better there."

Given Toronto’s priorities this season, there’s no real reason for frustration. The Raptors added another loss, sinking further down the standings, but did so while competing until the end. Given how this season has played out, that’s about as close to a win as they could ask for.

46 Million Reasons

Scottie Barnes has too much at stake to shut things down this season.

Just look at what happened in the first quarter Friday night: Barnes twisted his right ankle while contesting a shot and immediately went down in pain. He stayed on the floor for several moments before being helped to the bench, unable to put weight on his foot. Slowly, he hobbled to the locker room. It looked like the kind of injury that could sideline him for a while.

And yet, he was back before the first half ended.

Barnes looked OK after returning. He delivered a standout sequence late in the second quarter stopping Adebayo on one end before taking Herro off the dribble for a bucket at the other. But given Toronto’s season-long focus on lottery positioning, it would have been entirely reasonable for him to take the rest of the night off.

"He was not running and he was not as explosive. He was not playing with the same force he played before then, but hopefully, he's going to be fine going forward," Rajaković said.

The problem is Barnes’ contract which throws a wrench in that equation.

If he earns All-NBA honors this season, he’ll be eligible for a supermax extension, adding $46 million to his next deal. Realistically, that’s a long shot. The Raptors’ struggles this season will likely make it almost impossible to earn a spot. But with the 65-game minimum keeping some stars out of contention, Barnes has an outside chance to be in the conversation.

Barnes has no interest in sitting out. With 13 games already missed, he has just four more to spare before falling short of the league’s eligibility cutoff. Barring any setbacks, expect him to push through and make his case for an All-NBA spot.

B.B.Q.

Remember when this season was supposed to be about watching Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett develop together? That was the plan until injuries derailed everything and Toronto’s core was left in shambles.

So, how has it gone?

Overall it hasn’t been pretty. The trio has played just eight games together, going 1-7 in those matchups. But their record isn’t entirely on them.

Against Miami, for example, the trio looked pretty good. Quickley did what he was brought in to do, providing the three-point shooting that Toronto has so desperately needed this season. He connected on five threes, racking up 23 points. Barrett did what he does best, getting to the hoop and providing Toronto with the kind of rim pressure he’s been known for this season. He knocked down four threes and added a game-high 29 points.

The issue for Toronto has been health and consistency. Jakob Poeltl’s absence proved costly again and Barnes couldn’t quite get going, finishing Friday with 13 points on 4-for-12 shooting.

"He’s the glue for our team, the way he sets screens, the way he spaces the floor, the way we play through him," Rajaković said of Poeltl. "It's hard to evaluate [Barnes, Barrett, and Quickley] without that effect on the court. I think they were really trying to play unselfishly, to play for each other, to find open people."

Up Next: Phoenix Suns

The Raptors will continue their homestand Sunday evening when Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and the Phoenix Suns come to town for a 6 p.m. ET tipoff at Scotiabank Arena.

Further Reading

feed