Toronto Raptors: 5 goals for Kyle Lowry in 2017-18

2. Prioritize health, reduce minutes

Last season, Lowry averaged 37.4 minutes per game, which ranked second in the league behind LeBron James. While James is 6’8″ and a freak of nature, Lowry is barely 6’0″, and far from the same kind of imposing physical presence.

Furthermore, with Lowry being 31 and having 11 seasons under his belt, the Raptors need to find a way in which to lessen the load on their All-Star point guard.  Given Toronto’s performances in recent seasons, ensuring Lowry is fresh and healthy come playoff time should be at the top of the priority list.

Lowry’s most recent playoff series, a 4-0 series trouncing at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, saw him miss the final two games of the series due to an ankle injury. This comes on top of the 21 games he missed during the regular season due to wrist surgery.

As described earlier, Lowry’s playoff struggles are evident in the numbers, notably the significant drop in shooting percentages. In the 2015 NBA Playoffs, Lowry struggled mightily as the Raptors were swept 4-0 in the first round at the hands of the Washington Wizards. For the series, Lowry averaged 12.3 points on just 31.6 percent shooting from the field and 21.7 percent shooting from 3-point range.

At the time, ESPN’s Brain Windhorst noted of Lowry’s struggles:

"“He’s talking a good game, saying before Game 2 that ‘I feel great, I’m here kicking,’ but his play is saying something different. It has been for a while now; it’s truly not a surprise. And without their bulldog point guard able to engage full-scale with Wall, the Raptors are just outclassed. “Lowry is a shell of his normal self, the vicious and relentless basket-attacker with an angry streak that turned him into this franchise’s player.”"

Remember, this description was of a 29-year-old Lowry. Come playoff time this season, Lowry will be 32, and with an even greater amount of miles on his odometer.

So moving forward, managing Lowry’s minutes in the regular season in order to preserve his effectiveness come time for the postseason requires serious attention from the Raptors brass.