In Game 3, Lowry took 12 chance ats the rim en path to his 31 points. In Wednesdays Game 6, he took just 3 chance ats the rim on his method to 33. Side by side, the shot charts inform the story.
” We needed to strive for this win,” Lowry stated after Game 6. “For us, personally, thats what we do– play hard. We go out there and play every belongings like its our last and discover ways to take out triumphes.”
This is the indication of a veteran gamer who will take what the defense provides him instead of forcing the issue. Coach Nick Nurse and the Raptors regularly worked to get Kemba Walker switched onto Lowry in Game 6, and he made them pay the rate. The debate about whether Lowry is a Hall of Famer has actually raved throughout this series, but its hard to argue versus him after what hes done over the past couple of weeks.
” I love having the opportunity of standing there on the sideline to see it, because it is something to see and enjoy. I dont ever actually take it for granted,” Nurse stated on Sunday of Lowrys play. “Its a great skill to be able to play that difficult. Its a skill that typically isnt talked about. … Ive said this before and its the highest compliment I can give him: Ive never seen anyone play more difficult.”
The Raptors have discovered that playing hard isnt enough. Ultimately you need a closer to finish things off and make clutch plays. Last postseason it was Kawhi Leonard. This year its Kyle Lowry. If Toronto is going to advance, and hell need to be just as dazzling down the stretch in Fridays Game 7.
His efficiency was strangely reminiscent of another Game 6– in last years Finals, when Lowry scored 21 first-half points in the series-clinching win over the Golden State Warriors– and it makes you question why Lowry wasnt right away pegged to fill Leonards clutch shoes.
It seems as if Lowrys (mostly undeserved) credibility for diminishing in the minute during the Raptors 3 consecutive postseason beatdowns at the hands of LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers made us disregard him.
Lowrys playoff history is typically paired together with that of his former colleague and present friend DeMar DeRozan, but Lowrys statistics from those postseason runs were solid– 17.9 points, 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 35 percent 3-point shooting. And just recently, with the Raptors facing a potential 3-0 deficit to the Celtics, Lowry came through with 31 points, eight helps, 6 rebounds and threw maybe the most clutch pass in Raptor history to discover OG Anunoby across the court for the game-winning 3-pointer.
What Lowrys done, and what every clutch playmaker needs to do, is show the willingness to adjust. In Game 3 he made up his mind to go to the rim early and frequently, essentially getting rid of Torontos ghastly outdoors shooting from the equation. Simply look at the extremely first possession of the video game.
In Game 6, nevertheless, Lowry took a various method. The Celtics were filling up the paint on his drives, so Lowry did it from the outdoors, knocking down 6-of-10 3-pointers and making a wide array of mid-range jumpers.
After his spectacular efficiency in the Raptors 125-122 Game 6 double-overtime win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Kyle Lowry has emphatically revealed that hes the more detailed Toronto was looking for, and he was right under our noses the entire time. It seems as if Lowrys (mostly unjust) track record for diminishing in the minute throughout the Raptors three consecutive postseason beatdowns at the hands of LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers made us disregard him.
In Game 3, Lowry took 12 shots at the rim en route to his 31 points. Coach Nick Nurse and the Raptors consistently worked to get Kemba Walker changed onto Lowry in Game 6, and he made them pay the cost.” We had to work hard for this win,” Lowry said after Game 6.
When Kawhi Leonard picked to sign up with the Los Angeles Clippers last summer season, it appeared the Toronto Raptors champion window had actually been slammed shut as rapidly as it had actually been opened. When the Raptors, behind coach Nick Nurse and considerable enhancement from Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell, completed the segmented routine season with the leagues second-best winning percentage– ahead of Leonards Clippers and LeBron James– it did little to discourage the worried rumblings about their opportunities of repeating.
Sure, theyre a great regular-season group, the thinking went, however whos going to change Kawhi as the clutch bucket-getter every championship group requirements? Would it be Siakam? Possibly VanVleet?
After his incredible efficiency in the Raptors 125-122 Game 6 double-overtime win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Kyle Lowry has emphatically announced that hes the more detailed Toronto was trying to find, and he was right under our noses the entire time. While installing 33 points, eight rebounds, 6 assists and just one turnover in 53 (!) minutes, Lowry grappled the Raptors to a Game 7 to keep the quest to duplicate alive for a minimum of one more game.
Lowry had 15 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and he iced the game with a contorting fadeaway jumper to offer the Raptors a four-point lead with simply under 12 seconds delegated play.
