5 notes from the Miami Heat’s Game 7 loss to the Toronto Raptors

The season is over for the Miami Heat after a hard-fought post-season.

They almost did it. They almost became the first team to battle back from down 3-2 in two playoff series in one post-season, but the Miami Heat couldn’t make history.

After losing Hassan Whiteside in the beginning of this series, not to mention Chris Bosh after the All-Star break, you have to tip your hat to this Heat team that came within one game of being one of the last four teams standing.

Here are some notes from the game:

1. Rebounding

The Heat battled the Raptors on the boards pretty evenly in its Game 6 win, but couldn’t repeat the performance. The Raptors out-rebounded Miami 50-to-30. The Heat had no answer for Bismack Biyombo, who finished with 16 rebounds to go with 17 points.

It wasn’t as if Miami didn’t box out or crash the boards–they did–but Toronto was simply bigger.

It’s the risk you take when going with the super-small lineup, but it was also the only choice the Heat had.

2. Free throws

The Heat didn’t get to the line with the same frequency, but give credit to Toronto for packing the paint. They made it hard for the likes of Wade, Dragic and Joe Johnson to get to the rim–even though at times they did.

Toronto scored 29 points at the free throw line, compared to 18 for Miami.

3. Kyle Lowry

Kyle Lowry found his stroke this series, and finished with a game-high 35 points to go with seven rebounds, nine assists and four steals.

He was the best player on the court tonight and led the Raptors to a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.

4. Justise Winslow is terrific

Winslow, who defended everyone from 1-through-5, did so terrifically.

One one play in particular, he started the possession on Lowry, who tried to get by him on a drive but Winslow stood his ground and didn’t give him any air space. He forced Lowry to get rid of the ball on a dribble hand off to DeMar DeRozan, which called for Winslow to onto the other Raptors guard. Again, he stopped DeRozan in his tracks, forcing DeRozan to get rid of the rock.

Winslow, who also finished with 14 points, rose to the occasion tonight. Heat fans have to like what they’re seeing from their lottery pick.

5. Good work

Hold your heads high, Heat fans. Miami did everything they could tonight, in this series and during this season. We had our bumps in the road, sure, but the Heat managed to fight back every time.

For a team that lost LeBron James to make it back to one game of the Eastern Conference Finals after just a season off, it speaks volumes of the kind of organization the Heat is.

There are questions to be answered this summer, still, but know the team is in the right hands.