Raptors quickly switch focus to Miami Heat after hard
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris YoungTORONTO The Toronto Raptors had little time to celebrate their playoff win over the Indiana Pacers. They left the Air Canada Centre with homework on the Miami Heat.
Toronto coach Dwane Casey told the players they had until midnight Sunday to savour the hard fought seven game series win over the Pacers.
"We've got to go from exhaling to 100 hundred miles an hour real quick," said Casey, who pronounced himself "happy for a minute" after finally beating Indiana.
The message appears to have got through.
"As soon as I got back to my apartment, I started looking over the scouting report and the playbooks for them," said Raptors rookie Norman Powell.
"I started reading the book last night," said guard Kyle Lowry.
The turnaround was almost as quick for the Heat, who dispatched the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon and flew north the next day.
The Raptors weren't much interested in an Indiana post mortem Monday.
"It's something that we did, it's over with. We've got to prepare for Round 2," said Lowry.
"I'm focused on the Heat," he added several times.
The all star guard did share his thoughts on facing Miami star Dwyane Wade after playing Pacers marquee man Wholesale jerseys china Paul George.
"Paul shot the ball well. He shoots jump shots a lot, he takes threes, he's physical. But D Wade is just shifty. He's Dwyane Wade, he's a Hall of Famer," Lowry said with a chuckle. "PG might get there. I think he will one day. he has the talent to get there. But D Wade is a Hall of Famer. It's a different challenge."
The 34 year old Wade has played in 159 post season games, more than three times that of the Toronto franchise (18 31 in the post season).
Growing up, Powell says he modelled his game on Wade. "I've been watching him all my life so I'm looking forward for the challenge," he said.
Powell played just four minutes 38 seconds against the Heat this season but was quickly noticed by Wade.
"As soon as I checked in, he looked at me and looked at coach (Erik) Spoelstra and they ran a post up for him," said Powell. "So I know he's going to see me as a rookie and (think) that he can take advantage. So I'm just going to try and make it as difficult as possible for him."
Powell is literally living the dream, watching his role expand in the playoffs thanks to some gritty defence Discount mlb jerseys and timely offence.
"But I know there's still much more for me to accomplish, much more for me to prove. I still have a big chip on my shoulder in proving a lot of people wrong," said the second round draft pick who was taken 46th overall. "And that's what driving me."
Casey likes what he sees in Powell.
"I'm proud of him, the way he's played, produced. He's met the challenge. The moment hasn't been too big for him. it's a big leap from UCLA to the NBA playoffs," he said.
The Heat series marks Toronto's first trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals since 2001 when it lost in seven to Philadelphia.
Toronto (56 26) is the second seed in the East while Miami (48 34) is No. 3.
Miami remains without 11 time all star and former Raptor Chris Bosh, who missed the final 29 games of the regular season after a blood clot was found in his left calf.
Bosh, who averaged 19.1 points a game this season, was not on the Miami team flight but could still be in Toronto to cheer on the team Tuesday.
Without Bosh, Miami is smaller and quicker more efficient offensively but still excellent defensively, according to Casey.