Hoops Habit
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5 players who are building their legacy in the NBA bubble

By Luke Duffy

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 28: Kemba Walker #8 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena on January 28, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 28: Kemba Walker #8 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena on January 28, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
NBA bubble (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

5. Kyle Lowry

This was supposed to be a four-person list. But as has so often been the case throughout the course of his career, Kyle Lowry didn’t care about the best-laid plans. Before this season’s playoffs, you could have made the argument that he might actually be a Hall of Fame player. The best player, or at least most important, in Toronto Raptors history.

Down 3-2 to the Boston Celtics, having been down 2-0 at one point, most assumed that the valiant and protracted title defense by the Raptors would be coming to an end. Not on Lowry’s watch. In one of the best games in recent memory, Lowry played 53 minutes as the Raptors pulled out a double-overtime thriller 125-122.

Lowry’s legacy was already secure, no matter what happened this season. They won a championship last season, and Kawhi Leonard moved to the LA Clippers. Fans loved the fact that the Raptors said all the right things about wanting to defend their title to the best of their ability, but few saw them as a serious threat to the Bucks.

Related Story. 25 best players to play for the Toronto Raptors. light

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1303871944140288000

Instead, Giannis Antetokounmpo and friends are gone home and the Raptors are still here. Doing this without Leonard is amazing, especially with Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka being another year older. Fred VanVleet has been excellent and complements Lowry perfectly. Pascal Siakam has had a rough playoff, but OG Anunoby continues to improve.

At the head of it all though is Lowry. The guy is 33 and plays a position that is the deepest in the league. VanVleet is even smaller next to him, so he is typically assigned with guarding the tougher guard on an opponent’s roster. Chasing Kemba Walker around all night, for example, is no fun.

His scoring and assist numbers are actually down a little from the regular season (when he was typically giving the Raptors 20 points and seven assists per night), but Lowry is about so much more than that. He takes charges like no other, to the annoyance of some. He’s a defensive pest, a mouthpiece, and the voice of this organization. Wednesday night’s heroics somehow adding to what is already a secure place in league history.