Toronto Raptors All-Star guard Kyle Lowry has had a tough go of it in his playoff career.
Lowry, who has made five straight All-Star teams and is the Raptors’ all-time leader in career win shares (62.9 per Basketball Reference), has often underperformed relative to high expectations in the playoffs.
This year, however, the Raps have a different feel to them. Despite dropping the first game of their first round series against the Orlando Magic at home, the Raptors stormed back in angry fashion to wallop the Magic in four straight games — setting up a thrilling matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Lowry’s playoff demons reared their ugly heads in Game 1 of the series after he finished scoreless. He was thoroughly outplayed by his Magic counterpart, D.J. Augustin, who sunk a game-winning triple with 2.9 seconds on the clock to win it.
Despite this inauspicious start, Lowry bounced back in the next four games by steadying his team, playing pesky defense, hitting big shots and generally playing like the All-Star he has been during his Toronto tenure.
Another reason why this Raptors team has a different feel is due to the presence of superstar Kawhi Leonard, who explained how the narrative is ever-changing when it comes to his point guard teammate.
"You know how it is. If you lose a game you're terrible, if you win a game you're a superhero." Kawhi Leonard on the Kyle Lowry narrative
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) April 24, 2019
Never one to mince words, Kawhi Leonard cuts to the core with that statement, explaining how quickly a player can go from “G.O.A.T.” to “goat” in the blink of an eye.
Follow Us
Subscribe