With the Raptors down 90-87 with just over two seconds left on the clock in Game 1 of their second round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Kyle Lowry – the same Lowry that couldn’t buy a basket all game – hit a shot from half-court, tying and sending the game into an improbable overtime.
Advertisement
He also struggled during a seven-game first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, averaging 17.9 points, 3.6 boards, 2.6 dimes, 1.6 steals and 2.7 turnovers, with a field-goal percentage of just 31.9 and a three-point percentage of 16.7. That’s why he stayed on the Air Canada Centre court, headphones in, black hoodie pulled up over his head, until 1:15 a.m. after Tuesday night’s overtime loss to Miami in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.
“I haven’t shot the ball well for a little while now”, Lowry said.
“Listen, playoffs, all eyes are on you”, Lowry said. I know I’m not playing well at all.
Valanciunas had 24 points with 14 rebounds and DeRozan added 22 points for the second-seeded Raptors, who dropped to 1-9 in the opening game of a post-season series.
“I’m trying to get my touch back”.
“Tonight we had a chance to still win the game”, he said. It’s frustrating. I’m not going to shy away from the criticism or anything. I just have to go out and play. With tenacious defense, Miami did not let the Raptors score any points in the first one minute and fourteen seconds of overtime. Lowry must get over any mental anguish he’s now facing for the Raptors to have a shot at advancing past the Heat.
Lowry downplayed his last-second successful shot Tuesday.
A mug shot of Kyle Lowry on a milk carton was making the rounds on social media on Wednesday. “We still got another opportunity to win this next game at home, and go on the road and do what we have to do”.
Unlike that year’s version of the Heat, this squad simply doesn’t have the firepower to overcome any major injury issues to its best players. The Miami Heat are averaging 99.5 points on 46.4 percent shooting and allowing 91 points on 40.3 percent shooting.
History is on Raptors’ side when it comes to game twos.
Game 2 is Thursday night in Toronto.
“I shoot the ball well when I’m by myself”.
Toronto holds a record 4-5 in game threes, 3-5 in game fours, 4-3 in game fives, 1-3 in game sixes and 1-2 in game sevens. I do believe in him, and he’s going to come out of it.
Goran Dragic (26 points) and Dwyane Wade (24 points) led the way for Miami. Before the Heat picked Wade out of Marquette in the 2003 NBA Draft, the Sonics worked him out, and it was Casey quizzing Wade on his basketball I.Q. Later, as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks, Casey devised the defensive schemes that helped beat Wade, LeBron James and the rest of the Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals. But if anyone is in actual need of an early morning vision quest, it’s Kyle Lowry.
Advertisement
Paul George terrorised Toronto each game, but they eventually got the job done, advancing to the semi-finals.
