It was a hard fought game, but instead of going through a laundry list of things that went well or not, or what could have been done to get that W, it comes down to 1 person, and one person only: Kyle Lowry. So i thought about writing what my thoughts are based on the excuses/reasons floating around.
Lowry is in a Slump
Lowry's brickfest is nothing new for the Raps fanbase -- I mean, he's done this during the regular season before, and we've seen this in the playoffs too. However, this time, it feels different. The Lowry that I (we) know would try to get himself out of his slump by:
- driving to the basket
- getting to the FT line
- go back to his midrange go-to moves
He's not neither of those things and appear very passive, and it's understandable if his teammates are hitting from all cylinders. Most games where he struggled, especially on the losses, a Lowry production would have put the team on the top for the W.
Lowry is affected by the Kawhi Effect
It's been a gradual transition for Kawhi to look like he's part of the offense, not as a separate entity outside of the main offense. Kawhi's possessions are mostly ISO-possessions, and the ball is sticking to him too much, that Lowry is checked out offensively whenever they are dumping the ball to Kawhi. On the flipside, with a huge Kawhi usage, Lowry feels the need to utilize the rest of the offense by getting his team involved, and would often ice himself this way, taking his rhythm out.
Lowry is Injured
Is he? Some say, oh, he turned an ankle against the bulls. But I don't see any issues with him turning corners and stopping on a dime. Some say his back is hurt, mainly because that's the injury report detail when he sat against the Cavs. Did he? I don't recall any particular point on any game that he's hurt his back. Maybe in practice? Maybe, just maybe old age is kicking in. Heck, I'm in my mid-30's and I've got a foam roller, posture holster, and a back stretcher. My office chair and my car's seat both have a lumbar support.
If he is injured, he needs to get some time off to recover. Also, if it's a back issue, please, please, please - no more taking charges on anyone -- from the Embiid types to even the Tim Frazer types.
Edit: Kyle said he's not injured
Lowry is Sulking
We all know that Lowry was upset all summer. Recently, we came to know how he truly felt. The way he's turning down shots when the team needed him reminds me of those days when Vince Carter already mailed in the season, and his time as a Raptor. Lowry is a smart guy, and I don't know anyone would think that he would not feel that the team needs him to score. He can get mad at Masai anytime, but once he steps on the floor, he should be a pro. Sulking is not gonna do Lowry any favour, whether presently or if we're talking about his legacy. Does he want to go down as the main reason why the Raptors missed their Finals/Championship window?
Lowry is washed
Could he be...? Is he...? I can't even fathom to say it. I can't even consider it. We've seen Melo just not have it anymore. Lowry's lack of drive to score reminds me of Cro-Cop's late tenure with the UFC when he can't unleash his right or left leg kicks. But he was playing great during the first few weeks, so why did it fall off the cliff? I thought that for older guys, it's the shooting that's the last thing to go? That you'd lose your speed, athleticism, vertical jump, lateral quickness before your shooting starts to decline. My favourite player of all time - Allan Caidic (Filipino Basketball legend). He should be in his mid-50's right now, but damn, this guy can still stroke it from the perimeter. He moves like a snail, but his shooting touch is still there.
Whatever it is, giving up on Lowry is like giving up on this season, the finals aspiration, and even giving up on Kawhi staying. I would get frustrated at Lowry whenever he logs some bad games, but as long as I see him care about winning, I'll be rooting for him.
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