• Kyle Lowry saves Raptors with game-winning shot
• Toronto finishes January with 8-9 record
• Bench must step up with DeMar DeRozan out
TORONTO – For one night in January, everything didn’t seem so bad.
Kyle Lowry was able to run down the tunnel to the Toronto Raptors locker room and be greeted by DeMar DeRozan doing the Sam Cassell big shot dance (Google it.)
The Raptors could laugh, breathe a collective sigh of relief and look back with pride on a much-needed win that made up for in spirit what it lacked in aesthetics. Toronto ended its worst month in two seasons on a high note with a 108-106 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Air Canada Centre.
Take it when you can get it. The Raptors were trailing by 14 at half, having been whomped in the second quarter and giving up a 14-6 run to the Pelicans in the last 2:47.
"The way that second quarter ended, to come out of that game with a win was a very good thing," said Lowry, who said the dressing room was like a funeral at halftime. "The way that quarter ended and the way we came into that locker room, to get a win — I’m glad we got a chance to get that win.
Now, one night doesn’t wipeout the previous 30, and the Raptors start February with a kick in the shins: They flew out after the game to play the Boston Celtics who were relaxing at home and lead the Toronto by one game in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. And they’ll be playing without DeRozan, who was ruled out against the Pelicans and Boston after his right ankle swelled following his return from a three-game absence against Orlando on Sunday.
Not ideal. But that’s the fine print.
Big picture? It made things feel better, at least for one night. It might not make up for a tough January and a 8-9 mark for the month, but the win offers the chance to forget about all that for a moment.
The victory was all Lowry’s. The Eastern Conference’s best point guard scored Toronto’s last three field goals in the extra period, good for seven of his game-high 33 points to go along with 10 assists. He had to ice it twice. His triple with 1:57 left gave the Raptors a 106-102 lead, but Anthony Davis scored in the lane to tie it up at 106-106 with 29 seconds left. Lowry, however, remained calm after a broken play left him improvising following a time out. He eventually nailed a long step-back two over Solomon Hill while tumbling backwards out of bounds in front of the Pelicans bench to give Toronto a lead that held up after the Raptors got a stop coming out of the time out.
"It was a tough shot and I just made it," said Lowry. "It was a shot I wanted to get to."
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On an off-night for Pelicans star Davis, who came to Toronto averaging 28 points and 12.2 rebounds a game but shot 4-of-18 and was mostly a non-factor until the game’s final moments, Lowry was the game’s resident superstar.
Toronto needed everything Lowry could give. There was only limited help. Jonas Valanciunas was active, finishing with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Powell, starting in place of DeRozan, showed some flash beyond his monster dunk on the way to an 18-point night.
But it was sparse after that. Pat Patterson missed a wide-open triple with the game tied 96-96 and 1:30 left in regulation. Powell fumbled the ball away after being given the green light with the score still tied with 47.5 seconds left. Then Lowry got his pocket picked with 21 seconds to go. A Jrue Holiday layup that rolled off at the buzzer allowed them to at least get to overtime.
Lowry made everything all right. If the burden ever gets to him, he’s not saying.
"It’s my job. It’s my job. My teammates count on me, my coaches count on me. It’s what I do," said Lowry, who came into the game averaging 31 points a night since DeRozan sprained his ankle. "I get paid to play basketball for a living and I’m going to do it to the best of my abilities and I can take the pressure and handle it. I enjoy it."
And he takes a beating doing it.
"He gets hit more than any all-star that I’ve been around," said Casey. "He hits the floor, he’s going into the stands, gets knocked down going to the basket. Again, he’s a tough guy, he’s a Philly kid and he’s going to bounce up. He probably should have been a running back for the Eagles; they could probably use him a little bit.
"He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve been around."
The burden the Raptors put on Lowry raises the question of how long he can sustain the level he needs to be at for the team to win.
In the early going Tuesday night it appeared the Raptors — as has so often been the case lately — would be undone by their bench, or basically any lineup that didn’t include Lowry. Missing their leading scorer in DeRozan, the Raptors’ margin for error was ever smaller.
Who would step up? Lately it’s been no one.
Through the first two months of the season, the Raptors’ depth was a source of strength. Their bench had the best offensive rating in the NBA (114.9/100 possessions) and was a respectable seventh defensively (102.2).
Against New Orleans, the bench — Cory Joseph, Lucas Nogueira, Pascal Siakam and Terrence Ross — were a collective minus-48 on the night.
"We have to get crisper," said Casey. "Without DeMar there are things we’ve got to do and understand, spacing, we got bunched up there a few times, discombobulated but those are things we have to clean up and clear up when we go forward."
Those Raptors not going to the NBA All-Star Game later this month are feeling some heat.
"We all know our role. We know that Kyle and DeMar get the bulk of the offence. We fill as is. Defence, transition, hitting shots whenever we do get our touches, creating and making plays, and making life easier for them offensively and defensively," said Patterson. "We know our roles. We know what we have to do. And we’ve got to do better. We’ve got to do a lot better. … Kyle and DeMar can only do so much. We all collectively have to step up."
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Injuries and lineup inconsistencies have played their part. Patterson is the cog of many of the Raptors best bench lineups. He missed 10 games in January and has been on a minutes restriction since he returned. He’s also been starting at power forward, out of necessity. His absence, DeRozan missing four games and a general malaise have all contributed to the Raptors woes.
"I think we’re a little out of sync," said Casey. "Some of our role players are starting, playing big minutes because of injuries. Now their chemistry is off a little bit. The reasons and excuses are not important, but that is (the case)."
For one night the Raptors were able to right the ship, thanks to Lowry, as always. But the water still seems to coming up dangerously close to the sides and he could use some help bailing.
But, for one night, that’s a problem for another time.