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Fred VanVleet, Raptors outlast Heat in 124-120 in triple-OT

Jan 29, 2022 | 10:14 PM

MIAMI (AP) — Fred VanVleet hit two 3-pointers in the third overtime and the Toronto Raptors outlasted the Miami Heat 124-120 on Saturday night.

Gary Trent Jr. led Toronto with 33 points, Scottie Barnes added 22, Pascal Siakam had 21, and OG Anunoby 20. Sidelined the previous two games because of right knee soreness, VanVleet finished with 19 points.

VanVleet’s first 3 tied it at 117. Anunoby’s dunk with 3:05 left put Toronto ahead for good before VanVleet connected again from long distance and a 122-117 lead.

Jimmy Butler had a triple-double with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Heat.

Former Raptors guard Kyle Lowry missed his seventh straight game for Miami. Lowry, who joined the Heat in the offseason after nine years in Toronto, is out because of personal reasons.

Miami prematurely celebrated Gabe Vincent’s dribble to the front court and 35-foot heave that bounced in and would have given the Heat a 3-point win in the second overtime. But Vincent had not seen Heat coach Erik Spoelstra signal a timeout before his attempt.

Two free throws from Trent with 16.8 seconds left in overtime tied it at 105 and forced the first additional five minutes. Trent shot 13 of 28 from the field in his third consecutive game of scoring 30 or more points. 

The Heat rallied from a 16-point third quarter deficit and outscored Toronto 27-17 in the fourth period.

TIP-INS

Raptors: The five starters played more than 50 minutes. … Began a stretch of 10 of 14 road games. … Siakam has scored 20 or more points in nine of his last 11 games.

Heat: Missed their first four free throw attempts after converting 26 of 27 against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Butler’s string of 19 straight converted free throws ended when he missed two attempts in the first period. … Dropped to 19-6 at home.

UP NEXT

Raptors: At Atlanta on Monday night.

Heat: At Boston on Monday night.

The Associated Press