USA TODAY International Edition
Time is short for Raptors, Ibaka to mesh, dethrone Cavs
NEW ORLEANS All- Star point guard Kyle Lowry knows how much time the Toronto Raptors have to incorporate recently acquired Serge Ibaka into the lineup.
“We ain’t got time. You know that,” Lowry said. “I need to be comfortable with whenever we next play. We don’t have that time. We have to be comfortable right away. As the point guard, I’m sure I’ll figure it out, and as a team, we’ll figure it out.”
The Raptors have fallen from second place to fourth, and as low as fifth earlier in February, in the Eastern Conference with a bad start to the new year. Toronto is 11- 14 in 2017 — some issues offensive and defensively — and missed a chance to overtake the Cleveland Cavaliers for first place when the Cavs struggled in January.
Instead, the Raptors hit a road bump, prompting president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri to trade with the Orlando Magic for Ibaka, who gives Toronto a stretch forward.
Ibaka can make three- pointers ( 38.8%), defend the rim ( 1.6 blocked shots per game) and give Toronto more flexibility in its lineup, allowing it to play big or small depending on the situation.
“With a veteran like Serge who understands fitting in and everything about the league, I don’t think it should take long,” AllStar guard DeMar DeRozan said. “It’s on us to hop out the gate and take advantage of a guy like Serge. It’s given us a jolt. It sucks to see Terrence Ross leave, but at the same this is an opportunity to make something out of what we’ve been going through.”
The Raptors have two months to see if trading Ross for Ibaka is the answer.
“My whole thing has been always been the same,” Lowry said. “Yes, we hit a bump, and I was worried about it. But going into this last part of the season — 25 games left — we’ll have more energy every single night.”