TORONTO - Trailing Miami 80-74 in the fourth quarter, Jonas Valanciunas put the Raptors on his broad shoulders and helped propel them to victory.

A driving hook shot was followed by an offensive rebound, a putback layup and another rebound, followed by a Terrence Ross shot to tie it at 80. Valanciunas sandwiched a pair of rebounds around a missed shot before making another close-range bucket to give Toronto an 82-80 lead.

Miami forced overtime at 86-86 with a late Goran Dragic three-pointer but never led again as Toronto won 96-92 in overtime to even the Eastern Conference semifinal at one game apiece.

Valanciunas, who had just four points and five rebounds in the first three quarters, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds after a dominant fourth quarter.

"He's definitely the reason why we won this game tonight," said Toronto star DeMar DeRozan.

"Jonas was huge. He's been huge all playoffs for us," said guard Cory Joseph.

"He's great, man," added Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll. "He's a man-child down there. I told Jonas if I can just get him to play as hard as he does on offence on defence, we'll win this whole series.

"But no, he's been great. Jonas's been playing really great for us. He's dominating his matchup. And that's what we need for him to do."

The Lithuanian seven-footer deflected the praise, saying it's a team sport.

"It's nice to be recognized and get some nice words from your teammates but I guess everybody who stepped on the court did something," said Valanciunas.

Carroll said the Raps have to find out more ways to get Valanciunas the ball because "every time he gets it, he's scoring."

Carroll made a statement on and off the court Thursday. He led the team with 21 points before slipping into a pink ribbed track suit with silver high-tops matching the gleam of his ear-rings. Little-used James Johnson also made fashion statement in a hat, crocheted baggy sweater and baggy camouflage capri pants.

Valanciunas was dressed somewhat more conservatively, pulling on his pants surrounded by some two dozen reporters in the locker-room before addressing the media.

"I'm slow," he said by way of apology for the delay.

The Heat were quick to pay tribute to the Raptors centre.

"Whenever he's been on the floor, he's been very good for them, all playoffs," said Dwyane Wade. "He's a load. He's a very physical guy, loves to bang, he loves that game down there.

"We've got to be able to do a better job on him rebounding the ball, we've got to try to move him a little bit. When they get offensive rebounds, they're a tough team to beat. We have to do a better job as a whole to get down there, when he has our bigs boxed in, to try to come to help them get the rebound. He was huge tonight, for them."

Added Miami coach Erik Spoelstra: "His physical play, we have to match that, exceed that at home."

Game 3 goes Saturday in Miami.

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