Raptors ambassador Drake wasn't at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night, but center Bismack Biyombo embodied the Toronto native's energy, playing the best postseason game of his career to help spark his team to a 99-91 win over the Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, a tandem that's been ripped for putting up the worst combined field goal percentage of any starting backcourt in playoffs history, secured the victory. The duo combined for 59 points, with DeRozan going for 34 on 11-for-22 shooting — while knocking down every last one of his 11 free-throw attempts — and Lowry filling out the stat sheet with 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Lowry's rainbow of a 25-footer from the top of the key against the shot clock with 52 seconds to play put the Raptors up six. A baseline jumper with 23 seconds to go sealed the win and a 3-2 series lead.
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But nobody did it like the Bis underneath, especially early.
Biyombo, playing increased minutes after starting center Jonas Valanciunas (13.8 ppg, 9.5 rpg against the Heat) went down for the rest of the series with an ankle injury, set things off for the Raptors.
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Toronto jumped out to a 9-0 lead and never trailed. Biyombo scored all 10 of his points in the first half, adding a postseason career-high four blocks as the Raptors built a 20-point lead that shrank to 10 by the half.
Peep the highlights.
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Here he is throwing down a lob from Corey Joseph, and doing his best Usain Bolt rendition in celebration afterward.
And he wasn't having it in the paint.
Check him out giving the patented Dikembe Mutombo finger wag to Dwyane Wade after denying his dunk attempt.
He infused the Raptors with enthusiasm, and did his part to make sure they established a presence in the low post on defense early in a game that also didn't feature Heat shot blocker Hassan Whiteside.
Bismack Biyombo is presently the best big man in a conference semifinal game. The NBA in 2016 is truly amazing.
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) May 12, 2016
Now Drizzy can enjoy the views from courtside at Game 7 ... or if things go according to the Raptors' plan, Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals next week.