Slow start, no Poeltl costs Raptors

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors were missing two things against the Miami Heat: a solid effort in the first quarter and Jakob Poeltl.

RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., scored 23 of his 29 points after halftime as the Toronto Raptors rallied against the Heat but ultimately lost to Miami 120-111 in overtime on Friday. Barrett was held scoreless in the first quarter as Toronto trailed by as many as 14 in the frame.

“Started slow, but we picked it up throughout the course of the game,” said Barrett, who had four assists and three rebounds. “We won the second, third and fourth quarter.

“So obviously, slow start there. The first can be the difference in the game.”

Barrett and Immanuel Quickley fuelled the Raptors’ (17-39) comeback, with 10 and nine points, respectively, in the third quarter. Quickley finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

The fourth quarter was almost all Barrett.

Barrett had nine points in the fourth and scored all four of Toronto’s points in overtime while the rest of his teammates were 0 for 6 in the extra period. He said he had been motivated by the trash talk of former teammate Davion Mitchell, who was sent to Miami on Feb. 6 ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline as part of the five-team deal that moved Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.

“(Mitchell) was just talking so much,” said Barrett. “He was talking while he had the ball before he even scored, and then he made the layup, and then (Scottie Barnes) heard it.

“Scottie called a play for me, and then I went back, and I scored and then kind of just got rolling from there. The trash talk, fun part of the game helped get me going for sure.”

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said that coming out flat in the first quarter cost his team the win.

“I thought the game was pretty much in the first quarter,” said Rajakovic. “The way we opened up the first quarter, having seven turnovers there, that set us up really for a poor defensive performance.

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“We won the second, third, and fourth quarter, but we need to have a better start to the game, and that was a big emphasis for us today.”

Although it was only the eighth game this season where Barrett, Quickley, and Barnes got to play together, it was Poeltl’s absence that Rajakovic said had the biggest impact on the game. The 29-year-old centre hasn’t played since Feb. 4, out with a right hip pointer.

“Not having Jak, who is our connection, he’s the glue for our team, the way he sets screens, the way he spaces the floor, the way we play through him,” said Rajakovic. “It’s hard to evaluate without that effect on the court.”

Poeltl’s absence also allowed Heat forward Bam Adebayo free reign, scoring 19 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Miami had 54 points in the paint to Toronto’s 36.

Barnes briefly left the game in the first quarter after rolling his ankle but returned to finish with 13 points and six rebounds in 38 minutes of play.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2025.

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