Second chances are always a welcome thing.
Having failed once to beat the Miami Heat in an overtime playoff game, the Toronto Raptors got it right on Thursday, riding exceptional defence with the game on the line to register a 96-92 victory at a euphoric Air Canada Centre.
The win evens the best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference semifinal at 1-1 and likely saved the season for the Raptors — with the next two games in Miami on Saturday and Monday before Game 5 back in Toronto next Wednesday.
Toronto scored the first six points of overtime — a contrast to the 8-0 run the Heat went on to start OT on Tuesday — and played wonderful defence that held the Heat scoreless until Luol Deng had a dunk with 23.