TORONTO - If Tuesdays date with the two-time defending NBA champions was in fact an early-season litmus test, the results were mostly inconclusive. In the eight months that have elapsed since Miamis last visit to the Air Canada Centre the Heat have been busy. They flirted with NBA history, winning 27 straight games. They clawed their way past worthy postseason adversaries. They went on to claim their second title in as many years and LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all added to their growing collection of rings. Even as they tinker and bide their time early in a season where they hope to three-peat, we know who they are. The Raptors are a different story, the opposite end of the spectrum. Very little has changed for them since mid-March - the last meeting between the two teams - yet their identity and future is clouded with more questions than answers. "We put ourselves in a position to beat the best team in the league," Coach Dwane Casey said after his teams fourth-quarter collapse did them in, falling 104-95 to the Heat. "Now the next step for our team is to be able to bust through that." "Are we there yet?" he asked rhetorically. "Were not there yet. But I see us getting better and improving. Were getting there." Its too early to tell where they are or who they are as a team, now 2-2 on the young season. Theyve stolen a pair of ugly wins - akin to the gritty, defensive-oriented team they aspire to become - and theyve suffered a couple of disappointing losses, looking eerily similar to the Jekyll and Hyde version of the club that fooled observers a year ago. They were not expected to beat the Heat on Tuesday but they themselves expected to show progression and to learn something about where they are as a team, four games into a long season. Their hot start - getting off to a 17-8 lead on the champs - and their resiliency, clawing back after Miami appeared to have taken control, were positives to be taken out of their first real test of the campaign. But these are qualities theyve flashed before, even facing a challenge of this magnitude. The Raptors have now lost 12 straight meetings with the Heat, including all 11 since the Big Three joined forces in 2010. However, their two meetings with Miami at home last season followed a similar storyline. In both games, both towards the end of the season, the Raptors played competitive basketball for three quarters, hanging in with the champs until the final frame. Combined, the Heat outscored Toronto 147-140 in the first three quarters of both games. They obliterated them in the fourth to the tune of a 61-36 advantage. Toronto ceded momentum to their more accomplished rivals at the end of each quarter and in familiar fashion they fell apart when Miami opened the final period on a 12-0 run. Nine turnovers and 38 per cent shooting did them in during the quarter, the final nail in the coffin they buried themselves in. The Raptors believed they could compete in this game, whereas the Heat never had a doubt. They were poised and they were dominant when they needed to be. Like the season itself, they were just biding their time. "I thought we put ourselves back in a position to win," Casey said. "In those situations you have to be able to execute. But youre not talking about chopped liver, [the Heat] had something to do with that. They did a good job of getting into our guys [and] taking us out of plan A." "It just showed us where were at and how much we have to work on," said Rudy Gay, who finished with his second straight double-double - 13 points and 10 rebounds - despite another poor shooting night. "Were still a good team," he continued. "We lost to a good team. We lost to the two-time defending champs but I still think we can grow. We played them pretty solid through three quarters, weve just got to learn how to finish games out." Late-game rotation Searching for answers to stop James and the Heats quicker lineup, Casey cycled through his rotation in the fourth and landed on a variation of the small lineup hes used to close games this season. Instead of Amir Johnson, who was mysteriously absent from the floor in the final quarter, Casey used Jonas Valanciunas at the five and alternated between Gay and Landry Fields to counter James at the four. Johnson played the entire third quarter, going to the bench when the Raptors trailed 78-74, but never returned. Casey confirmed that Johnson was fully healthy and said he wanted to stick with Tyler Hansbrough, who started the fourth, and go back to Valanciunas, who checked in for Hanbrough with 3:58 remaining. "They were small also," Casey pointed out after the game. "I dont think the small lineup had anything [to do with the loss]." "I thought Tyler was doing a good job [and] Jonas was doing a good job. They stayed with LeBron at the four so we stayed with Landry at the four." Valanciunas played 27 minutes after logging fewer than 18 in each of the last two games, with Johnson anchoring the small unit down the stretch. The sophomore centre got off to a quick start, scoring 10 of his 18 points in the opening quarter as the Raptors took advantage of their superior size with Bosh out of Miamis lineup (he missed the game following the birth of his daughter). Did the Raptors squander their biggest advantage when they matched up with the smaller Heat? Did they wait too long to bring their starters back in? Would it have made a difference? Would Johnson have made a difference? These are all fair questions. The best there is As the Heat eased their way in to the game, playing without a third of their all-star trio, James was superb from start to finish. The four-time MVP scored 35 on 13-of-20 shooting, adding eight rebounds and eight assists in his 500th straight game with 10 or more points (becoming the fifth player in NBA history to accomplish that feat). Primarily using Gay and Fields to check James, the Raptors had no answer for the leagues best player as he dominated in every facet of the game on Tuesday. Although Gay has matched up well with him in the past - as well as anyone can match-up with him - James had him beat in every way this go around. "Its LeBron James. Hes good. He had a good game," Gay said, frustrated with the question regarding their matchup but mostly frustrated in general after shooting 3-of-10 and committing four turnovers. Quest for three Its hard to believe after Tuesdays comeback victory that resembled so many theyve pulled off in the recent past, but the Heat are still evolving. Even after back-to-back titles and three consecutive NBA Finals appearances, the Heat - like the Raptors, or any other team - are in the process of getting their footing in the new season. "Theyre trying to find themselves [and] were trying to find ourselves," Lowry pointed out after practice on Monday. Miami almost certainly has a head start given the Big Threes experience together and the success theyve had since coming together in 2010. However, this is a new year and another, potentially more challenging test for the defending champs as they pursue the illustrious three-peat. "We dont use the word defence," veteran Shane Battier said when asked about defending their title. "Were trying to win one. Thats all were trying do, just like last year we were just trying to win one in a row." They retooled in the offseason, bringing back Chris Anderson for his first full season with the team and signing low risk, high upside players in Greg Oden and Michael Beasley but playing in an improved Eastern Conference, theyll have their work cut out for them. The target on their back has never been bigger. "What we have to do this year is the same thing we last year, we have to reinvent ourselves," Battier said. "We cant assume that what worked last year is going to work this year. Thats the fun part of the journey." Since falling to Casey - then an assistant in Dallas - and the Mavs in the 2011 Finals, the Heat have had to evolve each season as the competition zeroes in, trying to figure them out. "That was a long, long time ago but certainly we remember the zone [defence]," Coach Spoelstra said, looking back at the loss and his first season coaching the Big Three in Miami. "Weve had to work on that extensively in the years past to the extent now that we feel comfortable with it." "That was a very painful experience for us," the Heats coach admitted. "Sometimes the ultimate pain makes you have to change and adapt. That was only the first of many things we had to work on." Cheap Balenciaga . The top-ranked Djokovic also beat Gael Monfils and then routed Roger Federer en route to his first Abu Dhabi title. "Its always great to win a title. This is the best way to start the 2012 season," Djokovic said. Fake Balenciaga For Sale . -- Canada played to expectation up until halftime. https://www.fakebalenciaga.com/. Ho-Sang is a highly regarded prospect, as seen in TSNs Midseason Rankings. This was Game 3 of their playoff series and that wasnt the only strange incident in Londons 10-2 win over Windsor. Balenciaga Shoes Sale . -- Wide receiver Sidney Rice should be fully recovered from a torn knee ligament by the time the Seattle Seahawks start defence of their Super Bowl title, general manager John Schneider said Wednesday. Fake Balenciaga From China . The senior threw for 319 yards and no interceptions in his final college game, leading No. NEW YORK -- Jonathan Quick watched plenty of New York Rangers games on television while growing up in nearby Milford, Conn., but it was always a tough ticket to get into Madison Square Garden. Just once before he got on the ice at the age of 12 for an intermission pee-wee shootout, and then Monday night at the age of 28 the Los Angeles Kings goaltender made a much more memorable appearance. Quick shut out the Rangers 3-0 to put his team up three games to none in the Stanley Cup final and one victory away from a second title in three years. "You make one save and then you try to make the next," Quick said with little excitement in his voice after arguably his best performance in these playoffs. "We had a lot of guys that block shots, clear rebounds. Our (penalty kill) was very good tonight, possibly the difference in the game. You just make one save at a time and try to get ready for the next one." Of Quicks 32 saves, two of them stuck out. In the first period he got his stick on a shot by Mats Zuccarello that went off the post and was bound to deflect in, and in the second he extended his paddle to get a piece of Derick Brassards offering that couldve been just what the Rangers needed to get back into the game and perhaps the series. Quick couldnt remember what happened on either one. It was hard for anyone else to forget. "Hes one goalie that can save those kind of things," Kings defenceman Drew Doughty said. "Not to say that we expect those saves from him, but were so used to seeing them because they happen so often that its just normal business." After watching Quick win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during Los Angeless 2012 Cup run, Dustin Brown isnt even in awe anymore. The Kings captain used to look up at the video board to figure out just how the puck stayed out of the net, but now he doesnt even bother. "The best example is playing at the Olympics and seeing other guys react to it and Im just sitting there because Ive played with him long enough and hes made enough of those saves you kind of expect him to do it," Brown said. "Its not shocking by any means. Hes been doing this all playoffs." Quick hadnt been doing quite this in these playoffs. Monday night was just his second shutout in 24 games this post-season, but it was the ninth of his NHL career. His stats during this run -- a 2.80 goals-against average and .906 save percentage going into Monday -- were hardly dazzling, but teammates were eager to give him credit for what had transpired before his masterful Game 3 showing. "All I know is everyones talking about Quickie and hes a big, big part of the reason were here because he is a goaltender that makes big saves at big times," Brown said. Quick did need some help and got it with goals from Jeff Carter, Jake Muzzin and Mike Richards. Carters goal with 0.7 seconds left in the first period stunned the sellout crowd of 18,000-plus in the first Cup final game at the Garden in 20 years. Carters seemingly innocent flick of a shot deflected off the skate of diving Rangers defenceman Dan Girardi before going in off Henrik Lundqvists glove. "I was reacting low and it went high," Lundqvist said. "Its just one of those plays where, with a little luck there that puck ends up in the netting or the glass. Unfortunately, half a second left and it ended up in our net. It was a tough play." That goal marked the first lead for the Kings since Game 6 of the Western Conference final against the Chicago Blackhawks. Los Angeles came back from two-goal deficits to win Games 1 and 2 at Staples Center. "It was a little bit easier scoring first, obviously," centre Anze Kopitar said. "Scoring at 0.7 left the first takes a little bit of wind out of their sails and energizes us." A rash of high-sticking penalties by the Rangers early in the second period didnt help, and Marc Staals led to Muzzins power-play goal. With Martin St. Louis trying to get his body in front of Muzzins shot from the point, the puck instead went off the Rangers winger and past Lundqvist 4:17 into the second period. Fans tried to generate some noise off the face-off, and the Rangers followed with plenty of chances to get back into the game. The power-play unit that entered the night 1-for-8 in the series managed some sustained pressure but came up empty thanks to Quicks brilliance. New York finished 0-for-6 on the power play in Game 3. Asked what went wrong in general, coach Alain Vigneault answered only: "We couldnt score." When Lundqvist was asked what happened, the usually charming media darling fired back: "Better question." What happened in the second period was the Rangers fell behind 3-0 as Richards got a two-on-one with Trevor Lewis, banked his initial shot off Ryan McDonagh and buried his second to put the Kings in cruise control. Despite 15 multi-goal comebacks already in these playoffs, an NHL record, a three-goal deeficit looked daunting even as the Rangers out-shot the Kings 32-15 overall because Quick appeared unbeatable.dddddddddddd Ultimately, he was. "He was obviously the best player on the ice tonight," Vigneault said of Quick. "Give them credit. They found a way to put the puck past our real good goaltender and we couldnt do it." Marian Gaborik, playing his first game back at the Garden since the Rangers traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2013 deadline, called Quick the Kings "cornerstone" Monday night. Doughty termed him their "backbone" all the time. Monday night was a reminder of that to anyone who forgot how good Quick can be at his best. "I dont think he has to remind us too many times," Kopitar said. "We know what hes capable of. Thats why we love having him back there." Twice in Game 3 he made saves that earn him that kind of love and admiration and a place on highlight reels. At the 12:37 mark of the first, Zuccarello had a no-doubt goal from just in front, but his shot hit the post and then Quicks before going wide. "It was an empty-net goal, and he got a piece of it," Brown said. "That allowed us to get our legs going and not fall behind early." Quicks most spectacular of the night came 10:22 into the second on Brassards offering from the side of the net. A cross ice pass forced Quick to go full extension, and with his paddle almost parallel to the ice he kept it out. "It looked from the bench like the guy just missed it, but you look at the replay and he gets a piece of it," Brown said. "He has a different style than all the other goalies in the league. Hes just quick and he gets post-to-post faster than any goalie in the whole entire league." Now one victory away from a second championship in three years, Quick isnt a strong Conn Smythe candidate this time around. But in dominating against the Rangers on Monday night, he put the Kings on the verge of recapturing the trophy they really care about. "Hes still been very sharp for us and hes been a huge key for our success without a doubt," Doughty said. "Maybe he didnt have to stand on his head like he did in 2012 but tonight I thought he stood on his head." NOTES -- Neither team made any lineup changes from Game 2, which meant that Kings defenceman Robyn Regehr missed his 16th straight game with injury. David LeNevu again served as the Rangers backup goalie with Cam Talbot (undisclosed) still out. ... A handful of celebrities were featured on the arenas video screens, including New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire, late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon and actors Bryan Cranston and Robert De Niro. That dampened the enthusiasm of a crowd that included more than a few people who paid a premium to attend. Tickets on the secondary market were going for over US$1,000. As their realistic chances of making it a series hung in the balance, the Rangers didnt put together a season-saving performance. After falling behind, New York picked up two straight high-sticking penalties that could have been worse had defenceman Marc Staal not gotten away with an extra one on Kings captain Dustin Brown. Staals offensive-zone high-sticking penalty that did get called led to the Kings second goal of the night. With Martin St. Louis trying to get his body in front of Muzzins shot from the point, the puck instead went off the Rangers winger and past Lundqvist 4:17 into the second period. Fans tried to generate some noise off the face-off, and the Rangers followed with plenty of chances to get back into the game. The power-play unit that entered the night 1-for-8 in the series managed some sustained pressure but came up empty thanks to Quicks brilliance. The 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winners best save of Game 3 came just after a New York power play expired, when he got his stick on what should have been a gimme goal for Derick Brassard at the side of the net. While Quick made saves look easy, Lundqvist got a break. The Kings didnt manage a shot on net for more than nine minutes in the second period. When they got back on track, it didnt take long to suck the rest of the air out of the Garden. With Trevor Lewis accompanying him on a two-on-one rush, Richards took an initial shot that hit Rangers defenceman Ryan McDonagh, and the Kings forward buried the second offering to make it 3-0 at 17:14. A record 15 multi-goal comebacks have meant no lead is safe in these playoffs. But Quicks stellar play ensured this would not be the 16th. NOTES -- Neither team made any lineup changes from Game 2, which meant that Kings defenceman Robyn Regehr missed his 16th straight game with injury. David LeNevu again served as the Rangers backup goalie with Cam Talbot (undisclosed) still out. ... A handful of celebrities were featured on the arenas video screens, including New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire, late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon and actors Bryan Cranston and Robert De Niro. ' ' '