Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry told reporters his ankle is still sore and will be a game-time decision for tonight's Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic.
Lowry sprained his ankle in the third quarter of Wednesday's Game 2, coming back into the game shortly after being checked out by the medical staff in the locker room, but would exit for good a minute after his return in obvious discomfort.
The All-Star point guard did not participate in today's morning shootaround and said his ankle rolled inward, not outward like a typical sprain.
Was it enough to be a high ankle sprain? “No, but it's up there,” Lowry said, per Koreen.
The Raptors will need their floor general at all costs, given his backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan‘s struggles in Game 2, totaling a ghastly five points on 2-of-11 shooting and 1-of-3 from the stripe.
Lowry was enjoying a good outing in his 30 minutes on the floor, tallying 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 2-of-2 from deep, and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line.
Head coach Dwane Casey‘s adjustments of benching forward DeMarre Carroll and center Jonas Valanciunas didn't exactly have the effects desired, as Carroll put on a goose egg in 19 minutes and Valanciunas paced Toronto with 23 off the bench in 20 minutes, which the Raptors could have used more of.
Perhaps the greatest reason attributing to a 125-103 Game 2 smackdown was the complete inconsistency of the starting lineup, with only Lowry and Serge Ibaka scoring in double figures. The Raptors will need all their horses clicking on all cylinders in order to defend their home court and pull off a Game 3 win against a red-hot Cavs team.