Raptors end 16-game skid against Heat, win 102-92

By IAN HARRISON

TORONTO (AP) On Friday the 13th, the Raptors finally found good fortune against Miami.

After a disappointing stretch, they got some belief back, too.

Kyle Lowry scored 19 points, DeMar DeRozan had 18 and Toronto beat the Heat for the first time in more than five years, snapping a 16-game skid with a 102-92 victory Friday night.

"I'll be able to sleep good tonight," DeRozan said.

Lou Williams added 14 points, Amir Johnson had 13 and Greivis Vasquez 12 for the Raptors, whose previous victory over Miami was a 111-103 home win on Jan. 27, 2010. Injured Miami forward Chris Bosh had 24 points and 18 rebounds for the Raptors in that game.

"We got that monkey off our backs," said DeRozan, who was a rookie the last time Toronto beat Miami.

Dwyane Wade scored 25 points and Goran Dragic had 18 for the Heat, who failed to match their longest winning streak over any opponent. Miami won 17 straight against Milwaukee between April 8, 1993, and March 11, 1997.

Lowry had eight rebounds, eight assists and seven steals as the Raptors, back from a winless three-game road trip, began a stretch that sees them play seven of 10 at home with an important win. Toronto came in having lost nine of 10.

"They say when it rains, it pours," DeRozan said. "We were in the shower for a while."

Lowry turned in his most complete performance since sitting out for three games for a much-needed rest.

"He was back to the old Kyle," coach Dwane Casey said. "He was moving the ball, he made his shots and his 3s, which were huge."

Wade and Dragic combined for 14 points as Miami made the margin look more respectable by closing the game with a 17-6 spurt. The Heat, who host surging Cleveland on Monday, lost for the third time in five games and are on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Miami committed 21 turnovers, two shy of its season high, in a gaffe-filled performance that coach Erik Spoelstra called "crippling."

"At least 10 of them were unforced," Spoelstra lamented. "We weren't really able to keep that collective mental toughness through those mistakes offensively. That led to some defensive breakdowns and it went from there."

DeRozan scored seven points in the first, going 5 for 5 at the free throw line, as the Raptors led 21-18. It marked just the second time in eight games that Toronto led after the opening quarter.

Miami tied it up with three free throws in the first 30 seconds of the second, but Williams made two 3-pointers as the Raptors responded with a 20-6 run over the next seven minutes to lead 50-41 at halftime.

Toronto led 78-63 after three.

Vasquez was called for a flagrant-1 foul after taking down Miami's Tyler Johnson on a drive to the basket early in the fourth.

TIP-INS

Heat: Hassan Whiteside returned to Miami's starting lineup after serving a one-game suspension for elbowing Boston's Kelly Olynyk on Monday. He finished with 12 rebounds. ... Miami missed its first nine shots from long range before Wade made a 3 with 1:38 left in the first half. The Heat finished 5 for 23 from 3-point range. ... Wade was held below 28 points for the first time in four games.

Raptors: DeRozan finished 12 for 13 at the free throw line. ... C Jonas Valanciunas missed the game one day after his wife gave birth to the couple's first child, son Jonas Jr. Tyler Hansbrough started in his place. ... Former Raptors forward Charles Oakley was honored with a video tribute in the second quarter. Oakley said he'll be involved when Toronto hosts the All-Star Game next season.

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HELPING HAND

Toronto had 26 assists on 34 made baskets, three assists shy of their season high. The Raptors have recorded 29 assists twice this season, doing it most recently in a Jan. 28 win at Sacramento. Toronto had assists on six of seven baskets in the first, and nine of 11 in the second.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

Oakley, when asked whether he ever expected to have his own bobblehead doll: "Well, I have a head, so you never know what could happen."

UP NEXT

Heat: Host Cleveland on Monday night.

Raptors: Host Portland on Sunday night.