Out since the all-star break with a right wrist injury, the topic of when Toronto Raptors star point guard Kyle Lowry could return to the lineup has been a major talking point, particularly with just seven games remaining in the regular season.
His coach, for what it’s worth, is “confident” he’ll be able to get in at least a couple games before the playoffs kick off on April 15.
“I’m confident he’ll be able to get some games in,” Dwane Casey told Sportsnet 590 the Fan’s Prime Time Sports Thursday. “I don’t know exactly how many, but I’m confident. He’s pushing himself and the situation to try to get at least a couple games in, don’t know how many, but he’s trying to get back before the playoffs start.”
Lowry has made steady progress on his road to recovery and was recently allowed to start shooting with that injured right hand.
In his absence, the Raptors have played well, posting a 12-6 record with the third-best defensive rating in the NBA since the mid-season break, allowing just 102.2 points per 100 possessions.
Much of this improved defensive play seen from the Raptors is directly related to the trade-deadline additions of Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker, two key pieces Casey believes will need to acclimatize to Lowry, and vice versa, before the playoffs start.
“I don’t know how many games you put on it, but I do think it’s important he comes back and plays with this new unit, because we’re a relatively new team with P.J. and with Serge involved,” Casey said.
“It’s one of those things that’s really important for us going in. You don’t want to go into the playoffs, for him, seeing if his hand’s OK, seeing what Serge does on a pick-and-roll – does he pop, does he roll, where does he like the basketball? All those things we want to figure out in game situations because, the other thing is, practice time right now is very limited. … So we [want to have him] be in those last two games, or whatever that number is.”
The Raptors, currently in fourth place but in the thick of an Eastern Conference battle for third or higher, would probably like Lowry back earlier than just the last two games of the regular season, but there still remains no formal timetable on his return.
Toronto next plays the Indiana Pacers at Air Canada Centre on Friday.
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