Raptors vs. Heat will also be brother vs. brother

Back in September, when Delon Wright was just about to touch his toe in the NBA for the first time, his brother Dorell wrote a heartfelt piece for "The Players' Tribune."

In "Letter to My Younger Brother," Dorell advised Delon on the ins and outs of the league, from money, to women, to card games on team flights ("run away from the card games.")

He talked about working hard, staying patient, and being ready when opportunity presents itself.

Dorell didn't envision that seven months down the road, the brothers — separated in age by six years — would square off in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

"It's going to be pretty weird, man," Dorell said on seeing Delon on the Raptors' bench. "He's a good kid, I'm just happy for him."

The odds of them meeting in the NBA post-season, or on any professional basketball court, had seemed slim to none. The 30-year-old Dorell, who was drafted by Miami 19th overall in 2004, had spent this season playing in China. That was one of his biggest regrets when he left the U.S., that he'd never have the chance to face his brother in an NBA game.

But then the Heat signed him for a second stint on April 16, and Delon started to dream about the possibility.

"It was really exciting," Delon said. "I still didn't think it was a chance because they were all tied at three, four and five [in the East standings]. But then I looked at the bracket and they were the third seed. So I thought, 'Maybe there might be a chance if we both win."'

They both did on Sunday. The Raptors knocked off Indiana in seven games in the opening round, while the Heat dispatched Charlotte.

Dorell played six seasons with the Heat before stints with Golden State, Philadelphia and Portland. Delon, meanwhile, was the Raptors' 20th pick in last summer's NBA draft.

Delon was actually the bigger Heat fan growing up. He was — and still is — a huge fan of Dwyane Wade.

"I thought I was going to get my No. 3 [when the Heat drafted me]," Dorell said. "And Delon was like 'No you're not, because Dwyane Wade wears it.' I was like 'Who the hell is Dwyane Wade?' He had been a fan since [Wade played at] Marquette."

Because of the big brother connection, Wade has been a mentor for Delon for years.

"And not me asking him to do it, that's just the type of person D. Wade is," Dorell said.

"Except for this series, I'm still a Heat fan," Delon said. "I love D. Wade, he's my favourite player."

Delon played in 27 Raptors games in the regular-season, spending most of the year with the team's D-League squad Raptors 905. He averaged 2.5 minutes in four appearances in the Raptors' opening round against Indiana.

But Dorell, who counts Raptors all-stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan among his friends, believes his brother is in great hands in Toronto.

"Obviously you want to see him out there playing a lot more, I'm pretty sure he wants to too, but that's the one thing about having a bigger brother that's been through the process," Dorell said. "I just tell him to be patient, learn from those guys.

"When his opportunity is upon him, I think he's going to take full advantage of it."

Dorell averaged a slightly better four minutes in four appearances against Charlotte. He would love to see a time he and Delon are both playing big roles on NBA teams.

"Hopefully I get a Flagrant 1 on him or something," he said, laughing. "I got used to it as a kid.

"I was hard on him for a long time. We started being really close when he got a little bit older, but I was a big brother, man, you know what I mean? I felt like I had sometimes to be a big brother, put him through the treatment. But he handled it well."