Lowry elevates Raptors in mysterious ways
Healthy all-star’s impact goes beyond scoresheet with playoffs around corner
The points, assists and rebounds provide tangible proof of Kyle Lowry’s importance to the Toronto Raptors and undeniably show what a vital member of the team he is.
But go beyond them to find his real impact, and to see how his mere presence tends to elevate those around him.
The intensity, the intelligence, the speed with which he makes decisions are just as important most nights as shots made and assists doled out.
“Defensively, just having his mind and body out there does a lot,” DeMar DeRozan said of Lowry after the Raptors wrapped up the home portion of their regular season by subduing the Miami Heat at the Air Canada Centre on Friday night. “A lot of times, Kyle don’t have to get it going scoring-wise to will us to a victory. That’s the great thing about him.”
After a storybook return Wednes- day in Detroit — 27 points, 10 assists, the biggest comeback of the season in a victory — Lowry had a predictable offensive swoon against the Heat. Facing a tenacious defence and still rounding into game shape, Lowry was 5-for-14 from the field and missed four of the five three-pointers he attempted.
Big whoop, said coach Dwane Casey.
“The young man’s been out for how long? I thought he played well compared to how long he’s been out,” the coach said. “We’ve got to cut him some slack from that standpoint because he’s been out so long. . . . It will take him a couple of games to get back in the groove. I think we were spoiled in the Detroit game.”
But the groove went beyond shots. The Raptors won the game, Lowry was orchestrating things for the entire fourth quarter and his impact was considerable.
“Teams have still got to respect him while he’s out there,” DeRozan said. “The whole dynamic is still the same if he’s making shots. It’s great just to have him out there.”
Lowry is under no misconceptions about the challenge in the final week of the regular season after sitting on the sidelines for more than a month.
As Toronto chases not only third place in the Eastern Conference and a second straight 50-win season, the veteran point guard has to use whatever time he’s got on the court to just feel normal. He played 42 minutes against the Pistons, nearly 36 against the Heat and will get more time as the Raptors finish the season Sunday in New York and Wednesday in Cleveland.
“I swear I thought every shot I took was going in — that’s how I always feel,” Lowry said. “It’s one of those things where you’re not going to have a great game every single night, and I knew I wasn’t going to have the greatest game the next three games.
“But it’s all a work in progress for me. I got my minutes in there. We won the game as a team. We got some minutes out there with some different lineups on the floor, and if we just continue to compete and grow as a team, it’s more important than me playing well.”