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Heat's Hassan Whiteside puts Serge Ibaka on poster with dunk

By Alex Butler
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside had 16 points in a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday in Miami. Photo by Tannen Maury/EPA-EFE
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside had 16 points in a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday in Miami. Photo by Tannen Maury/EPA-EFE

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Posters are probably being printed after Hassan Whiteside threw down a very strong dunk on Serge Ibaka during the Toronto Raptors' win against the Miami Heat.

The Heat 7-footer completed the slam on the Raptors' 6-foot-10 forward/center in the first quarter of his team's 106-104 setback on Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. The Heat led 19-10 at the start of the sequence when Whiteside picked up a rebound on the other end of the floor.

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Miami's big-man went coast-to-cast, dribbling over half court before deciding to take Ibaka off the dribble once he crossed the 3-point line.

Whiteside first drove to Ibaka's right before diving inside with a spin. The move created a clear path through the paint. But Ibaka didn't give up on the play. The Raptors defender jumped up toward the rim along with Whiteside. But Whiteside's finish was too strong. The Heat star smashed the ball through the rim with his right hand as Ibaka through his body into his in midair.

The dunk gave Whiteside 10 points in the quarter. Miami surrendered a 17-point lead to the Raptors en route to snapping its five-game winning streak.

Whiteside finished the game with 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. Justise Winslow led the Heat with 21 points. Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 30 points for Toronto.

The Heat take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. on Friday in Miami. The Raptors look to increase their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference with a matchup against the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. on Friday in Orlando.

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