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Toronto Raptors: Less Kyle Lowry Equals More Production

By Phil Watson

Oct 12, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) stops as he looks for a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Timberwolves 112-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) stops as he looks for a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Timberwolves 112-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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We’ve all heard the mantra: Preseason results are to be taken with a gigantic grain of salt.

That said, it’s impossible to ignore what Toronto Raptors All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry has done this month.

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Lowry played 28 minutes Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves and went off for a Raptors franchise-record 40 points (they keep records for preseason games in Canada?).

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Lowry was 13-for-18 from the floor, 6-for-9 from three-point range and was a plus-16 during his time on the court.

In three preseason games, Lowry is averaging more points (30.3) than minutes played (25.0), shooting an astonishing .683/.647/.923.

That is a ridiculous Effective Field Goal Percentage of .817 and a True Shooting percentage of a mind-boggling .868.

Yes, it’s three preseason games. But still.

Lowry went on a weight loss purge over the offseason and looked like a whole different player when he arrived at training camp late last month.

The initial concerns were whether or not he would maintain the strength he had to drive the lane as well as he had the past two years, when he made the leap from starting-caliber point guard to All-Star point guard after coming to Toronto in July 2012 in a trade for Gary Forbes and a first-round pick in 2013.

His shot chart, showing that nice 5-for-6 performance at the rim on Monday, seems to allay those concerns about the bully-baller being less bullyish with his new body.

No one is expecting Lowry to maintain an eFG% or TS% in the 80s, but based on the early returns, an improvement from last year’s .476 eFG% and .527 TS% seems likely.

Those numbers were down from his career-bests set in 2013-14 of .511 and .567, respectively.

“I’ve felt pretty comfortable every game,” Lowry told The Associated Press. “For me it’s about maintaining, start off well, finish well. It’s only preseason.”

Kyle Lowry, shown at media day last month (left) and last season (right). Mandatory Credits: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Lowry, shown at media day last month (left) and last season (right). Mandatory Credits: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports /

Lowry got off to a terrific start last season, averaging 20.5 points, 7.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals on .455/.354/.814 shooting as the Raptors got off to a 24-7 start.

But after that torrid beginning, injuries and fatigue began chipping away at Lowry’s production. Over the final 51 games, Lowry missed 12 with injuries and averaged 15.6 points, six assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals while shooting .376/.326/.800.

The playoffs were a disaster for Lowry, who averaged 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals on a shooting line of .316/.217/.727.

That’s an eFG% of .360 and a TS% of .396, for those who might have been wondering.

Lowry took the criticism in stride, even as using it as motivational fuel for the offseason.

“It’s true,” Lowry told CBSSports.com last month. “I know how bad I played. But at the end of the day, it is what it is.

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    • “I want them to say those things because they’re going to change their minds. Early in the year, it was, ‘Oh, my God.’ Now I’ve got to go back to making them say, ‘Oh, my God’ again. That’s all that matters.”

    As Lowry faded, so did the Raptors, who were 16-18 to finish the campaign before being swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Washington Wizards despite having home-court advantage.

    Lowry will hit 30 years old before the end of the regular season and 2015-16 will be his 10th NBA campaign.

    That was part of what motivated the changes he made, saying it’s an acknowledgement he’s no longer a “young pup.”

    It’s early—very early—but it appears that less Kyle Lowry could wind up equaling much, much more for the Toronto Raptors.

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