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Raptors end 16-game series skid against Heat

Mar 14, 2015 - 6:25 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Lowry's 19 points, eight assists and seven steals enabled the Toronto Raptors to finally get a win over the Miami Heat, a 102-92 decision that halted a 16-game series losing streak.

DeMar DeRozan added 18 points and Lou Williams contributed 14 off the bench in Toronto's first victory over the Heat since Jan. 27, 2010, when Miami star Chris Bosh's was in his final season as a member of the Raptors.

Toronto snapped another large slide with Friday's result, as the current Atlantic Division leaders had dropped four in a row and nine of their last 10 coming in.

"We played well...on both ends of the floor," Williams said.

The Heat received 25 points from Dwyane Wade but went 5-of-23 from 3-point range and were hurt by 20 turnovers.

Goran Dragic finished with 18 points for Miami and Hassan Whiteside grabbed 12 rebounds in his return from a one-game suspension for elbowing Boston's Kelly Olynyk in Monday's loss to the Celtics.

The Heat dropped out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference following Charlotte's win over Chicago on Friday.

Toronto led from virtually start to finish and created some significant distance with a 12-2 second-quarter run. Williams buried a pair of 3-pointers during the surge, the last staking the Raptors to a 41-27 lead with four minutes left in the period.

Wade keyed a 9-1 stretch near the end of the half that brought the Heat within seven, right before DeRozan fed James Johnson for an emphatic dunk that sent Toronto into the break up by a 50-41 count.

The Raptors then scored the first seven points of the third quarter, capped by DeRozan's run-out slam off an Amir Johnson steal, and the Heat never got the deficit under double digits thereafter.

Toronto entered the fourth owning a comfortable 78-63 advantage, with Miami aiding its opponents cause by committing nine third-quarter turnovers. The margin was 21 points early in the final frame when Williams was fouled while shooting from beyond the arc and made all three free throws for an 84-63 lead.

"We didn't (play) with rhythm," Dragic said. "It was tough to come back."

The Raptors owned a 96-75 cushion before Miami ended the contest on a 17-6 spurt to make the outcome more respectable.

Both teams struggled offensively during the first quarter, which ended with Toronto clinging to a 21-18 edge.

Game Notes

Miami's 16-game win streak over the Raptors was the second-longest against one opponent in franchise history. The Heat beat Milwaukee 17 straight times from April 8, 1993-March 11, 1997 ... Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas missed the game to attend the birth of his son ... Wade is averaging 28.8 points in four games after missing last Friday's contest at Washington with a sore hip ... Michael Beasley tallied 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Miami.