Kyle Lowry earned a well-deserved standing ovation Sunday as he exited the game after leading the Toronto Raptors to a 116-89 Game 7 win against the Miami Heat.
Despite struggling with his shooting early in the postseason, Lowry scored 35 points with nine assists and seven rebounds to lead the Raptors to a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers for their first ever Eastern Conference finals appearance.
With this stellar performance, Lowry became the first player in Raptors history to record back-to-back 35-point playoff games.
DeMar DeRozan added 28 points to help the Raptors continue their best season in franchise history. DeRozan didn't exactly fix his postseason shooting woes — he shot 12-of-29 from the field — but he found a way to be productive and help Toronto win.
With Jonas Valanciunas out with an ankle injury, defense-minded Bismack Biyombo was called into action. He answered the call by scoring 17 points and hauling in 16 rebounds. His physical presence really made the difference as Miami had no answer for him on the glass.
Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic led the Heat with 16 points apiece, but it wasn't enough to stop the Raptors in front of their raucous home crowd.
Stud of the night
It has to be Lowry. Toronto's All-Star point guard led the team offensively and bounced back defensively after Dragic torched him in Game 6. Lowry has transformed into one of the best all-around guards in the NBA, and the Raptors will need him to elevate his game even more if they're going to upset the Cavaliers.
Dud of the night
Wade did not have a terrible game, but the three-time NBA champion didn't do enough to help the Heat win in a hostile environment. He was routinely overmatched by either Lowry or DeRozan defensively. He also struggled to get into a rhythm offensively.
Highlight
Lowry hits a dagger in the fourth quarter:
Lowry turns The Six upside down with another triple! #NBARapidReplay #NBAonABC https://t.co/YwHkcwKzkX
— NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2016
What's next
The Raptors will take on the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Cleveland next week.