Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse remains optimistic about the condition of point guard Kyle Lowry, even claiming that he believes the All-Star guard is nearing a return.
Kyle Lowry has only played once in their last eight games due to quad and back issues. He last played against the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 22 and hasn't featured ever since, no thanks to a lingering back problem.
There is still no timetable for Lowry's return, and things don't look any better for him after news that he received injections in his back to help relieve the pain and inflammation.
Despite what could be said as concerning progress to Lowry's recovery, however, Nick Nurse said that the 32-year-old Philadelphia native could end his time on the sidelines soon. He also emphasized that Lowry is already in the pain management stage.
Article Continues BelowRaptors coach Nick Nurse reiterated that he believes Kyle Lowry is getting closer to the end of his time on the sidelines with a back issue despite the team's announcement of Lowry getting pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory shots Saturday in New York.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 1, 2019
"I think it's now into a pain management stage a little bit," Nurse said. He added Lowry was scheduled to get shots up pregame, and that the team will be monitoring him each day to see how he progresses.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 1, 2019
Lowry is set to miss his fourth straight game, as he is also out in their New Year's showdown with the Utah Jazz. Nonetheless, Nurse's update will certainly give fans some sort of relief.
Lowry is averaging 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and a team-high 9.8 assists per contest. The Raptors are currently 27-11 on the season, second in the Eastern Conference.