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Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry has only been available for one of the team's last eight games, creating a longer absence than initially expected after dealing with back and quad issues. Head coach Nick Nurse admitted to a slight concern of not having his All-Star point man on the floor, a stretch in which the Raptors have gone a mere 4-4 since a 20-point rout of the Golden State Warriors in early December.
“Yeah, I think a little bit,” Nurse said before the Raptors beat the Chicago Bulls 95-89 on Sunday night, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “You're always concerned. You want an All-Star player back as soon as possible.
“Any of our guys, we want them back as soon as possible… I think we're positive and hopeful that it's going in the right direction, and we'll see him back soon.”
Even with Lowry back in the lineup for a mid-December game against conference rival Philadelphia 76ers, the Raptors suffered a 25-point loss on the road, clearly disjointed from having their stars in and out of the lineup due to various injuries.
Nurse however, expressed optimism about getting his star point man back in the near future.
“We're coming to the end of it,” Nurse said.
Besides Lowry and star forward Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors have dealt with a chain of injuries, including center Jonas Valanciunas, who is out indefinitely with a dislocated thumb.
The Raptors were 20-4 through the early part of the season, but have gone a mere 7-7 since — no longer atop the league and with a more narrow margin of error coming into the new year.
