Raptors vs. Heat: Live Stream, TV Channel, Prediction, Betting Odds For Game 6
Greg Price
Dwyane Wade looks to keep the Miami Heat afloat against the Toronto
Raptors in Friday's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Photo: Getty Images
The Miami Heat’s playoff hopes might rest
squarely on the shoulders of All-Star shooting guard Dwyane Wade. Down
3-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Toronto Raptors, Miami
preps to stave off elimination in Friday night’s Game 6 with Wade
seemingly the last star standing.
The Heat entered the postseason without power
forward Chris Bosh, who was eventually ruled out for the rest of the
playoffs, then lost center Hassan Whiteside, and in Game 5’s 99-91 loss
forward Luol Deng went down with a wrist injury.
Deng is questionable for Game 6 after an MRI
revealed a bruise on his left wrist, leaving Wade to save the day
against a Raptors squad that appears to have found its stride after
stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry struggled for stretches in the
series.
DeRozan unleashed 34 points and two steals on
Miami and Lowry totaled 25 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, giving
Toronto its first shot at a spot in the Eastern Conference finals.
The 26-year-old DeRozan, who will be a free
agent this summer, is shooting 34.8 percent during these playoffs but
came up huge by going 11-for-22 from the field and got to the line 11
times, knocking down every attempt.
The victory may have come at a price though.
Toronto forward DeMarre Carroll landed awkwardly on his left hand in the
third quarter, and he’s also questionable for Game 6 even though tests
came back negative.
Carroll, along with backup point guard Cory Joseph, have been the backbone of Toronto’s three-point shooting in the postseason.
With Deng getting hurt in the first half and
eventually taken out in the third quarter, Wade would finish with 20
points, half of which came from the charity stripe, along with seven
rebounds and four assists. Goran Dragic notched 13 points and went
6-for-14 from the floor, but couldn’t draw fouls like Wade.
Wade, 34, has transcended his age during the
playoffs, carrying Miami on his back in key moments of the series. Wade
said would admit the Heat face a steep challenge with so many injuries,
but cast aside any talk of cow-towing early to the Raptors.
“We’ve lost two big guys in this series so
far,” Wade said. “With that being said, we’ll be ready for Game 6. It’s
the playoffs, and if you don’t enjoy the environment, you won’t be
successful.”
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