Toronto Raptors: Keys To Taking Control Of Series vs. Heat
Lowry and DeRozan Have To Shake Off Slump
One of the reasons why the Raptors won a franchise record 56 games was because of their All-Star backcourt in Lowry (21.2 PPG) and DeRozan (23.5 PPG). But for some strange reason, the pair has not been playing well since the postseason began.
In the series against the Indiana Pacers, Lowry averaged 13.9 points per contest with shooting splits of .316/.163/.718. DeRozan, meanwhile, averaged 17.9 points per outing with splits of .319/.167/.872. This isn’t the kind of production you would expect from this talented duo.
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After edging the Pacers in seven games, the Raptors guards were given new life, an opportunity to showcase how good they can be on the postseason stage. Unfortunately, it has been more of the same in the second round as well.
In Game 1, the duo combined for 29 points on a pedestrian 12-for-35 from the field, which equates to a shooting clip of 34.2 percent. They followed that up with another dismal showing effort from the field in Game 2. While they did increase their scoring total to 38 points, they connected on just 16 of their 46 attempts in the process.
To be honest, the Raptors are fortunate that the series is tied following two brutal performances. At the same token, star players have to be the deciding factors in playoff games. If Lowry and DeRozan cannot find a way to overcome their shooting woes, the Raptors will not advance to the next round.
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