MIAMI -- Heat point guard Goran Dragic, his right eye swollen shut due to an orbital contusion, left the game 41 seconds into the third quarter, never to return after getting elbowed accidentally by Cory Joseph.

But even though Miami lost its top scorer and leader in assists -- Dragic looked like a punch-drunk Rocky Balboa sitting on the bench -- the Toronto Raptors still couldn't knock out the Heat.

Dion Waiters scored 20 points as Miami -- the hottest team in the NBA for nearly two months -- cruised to a 104-89 victory over Toronto on Saturday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Dragic, who will fly to Indianapolis in the hopes of playing against the Pacers on Sunday night, said he got hurt when Joseph tried to do a Euro-step move.

"He threw his elbow up and hit me in the eye," Dragic said. "That was it, nothing special.

"It's painful, but I'm fine. I'm not dizzy, no headache. I can see, (but) it's blurry."

Miami (32-34) improved to 21-4 since Jan. 17. Toronto (38-28) is 10-15 since Jan. 17.

The Heat, once nearly buried with an 11-30 record, are a half-game out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons in the loss column.

"That's a team over there (Miami) that is fighting for a playoff spot," Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan said. "For 48 minutes tonight, they showed why they want to be in the playoffs."

Tyler Johnson replaced Dragic and had 10 points in the third quarter and 16 for the game. Heat center Hassan Whiteside finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

The Heat made 11-of-28 on 3-pointers. For the season, the Heat have 10 or more 3-pointers 32 times, breaking a franchise record.

"(Miami) shot the ball extremely well, and that deflated us," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "We were right in their grill, and they made tough shots. ... You have to get up (even) closer to them to make them miss."

While Miami couldn't miss, Toronto, which made 16 percent of its 3-pointers in a loss to Atlanta on Friday, couldn't make. The Raptors shot 2 for 15 from deep Saturday.

DeRozan, who Friday became the first Raptors player to score 11,000 career points, had some struggles. He scored 17 points -- 10 below his average -- and made 5 of 16 shots from the floor.

In addition, DeRozan picked up one of five Raptors technical fouls on the night. The other Raptors technicals went to Normal Powell, P.J. Tucker and two to Patrick Patterson, who was ejected.

"It was a little bit of everything," DeRozan said when asked about Toronto players losing their tempers with officials. "We are all human. When something doesn't go your way, you react with emotion."

The Heat, which led 32-26 after the first quarter, extended their advantage to 59-41 at halftime. Miami extended its lead to 85-63 after three quarters, shooting 57.9 percent in the period.

Toronto didn't get closer than 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Heat easily held on -- even without Dragic.

Whiteside, asked about his point guard's eye injury, referenced Rocky and one of the villains in the movie series.

"I call him (Ivan) Drago," Whiteside said. "I told him, 'Rocky got you tonight.'"

NOTES: Raptors SF DeMarre Carroll, who returned Friday after missing one game because of an ankle sprain, did not play. ... Heat F James Johnson had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Johnson, who signed a one-year deal this past offseason, weighed 274 pounds with 14.5 percent body fat at that time. Now he's at 238 pounds with 6.8 percent body fat, putting him in line for a long-term, big-money contract. ... Miami is reportedly interested in signing PF Jared Sullinger, who was released by the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 24. ... Raptors PG Kyle Lowry, who had surgery on his right wrist last month, is due to return in April. ... After Miami plays at the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, it opens a five-game homestand Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. ... Toronto opens a two-game homestand Monday against the Dallas Mavericks.