Lowry leads Heat past Raptors in emotional return to Toronto
Kyle Lowry soaked up the love from an adoring Toronto Raptors crowd. After which he led his Miami Warmth to victory.
The previous Raptor, who was feted with an emotional pre-game video and lengthy standing ovation in his first sport at Scotiabank Enviornment in additional than two years, had 16 factors and 10 assists to guide the No. 1 workforce within the Jap Convention to a 114-109 victory over Toronto.
“It meant the world to me for the followers to indicate their appreciation, give me an ovation like that, to be out on the ground with a few of my former teammates, my brothers,” Lowry mentioned. “The primary time is all the time particular. You do not neglect that.”
Fred VanVleet had 29 factors, together with 4 three-pointers to interrupt Lowry’s report for threes in a season, for the Raptors (45-33), who noticed their win streak finish at 5 video games.
Like they’d carried out numerous time as teammates in observe, VanVleet and Lowry performed livid defence in opposition to one another. Loads of verbal jabs have been muttered, however all in good enjoyable, VanVleet mentioned.
“He brings out a special aggressive edge in myself and one of many explanation why I’ve been capable of develop as a participant on this league is as a result of he units the bar so excessive,” VanVleet mentioned. “I needed to get the win so clearly not blissful about that, however that was a very enjoyable sport to be part of and I am blissful that he bought that have right here and bought to do it with the followers within the constructing.
“I am certain it was every little thing he deserves and extra.”
Pascal Siakam added 29 factors, whereas Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr. scored 19 apiece. OG Anunoby sat out the sport with a thigh contusion.
WATCH | Lowry leads Warmth previous Raptors:
Kyle Lowry put up 16 factors, 10 assists and 6 rebounds to guide Miami to a 114-109 win over his former workforce. 2:25
Max Strus topped Miami (51-28) with 23 factors.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse had joked pre-game that he hoped his workforce ruined Lowry’s night.
“We love him, there isn’t any doubt about that. However you already know what? My job now’s to kick his ass,” Nurse mentioned. “We’ll see what occurs.”
The primary half performed out that means as Toronto raced out to a 13-point lead, however the Warmth clawed their means again with a 26-13 run within the third quarter and led 79-78 to start out the fourth.
Thaddeus Younger hurled a cross-court move to Trent Jr., whose three-pointer put Toronto up 91-87. However Lowry’s three in entrance of the Raptors bench sparked a 20-6 Warmth run that had the guests up by 10 with 2:22 to play.
A slicing dunk by Chris Boucher sliced the distinction to 4 with 15.2 seconds left, however it was too little late for the Raptors, who misplaced for simply the third time in 14 video games.
WATCH | Lowry will get standing ovation in return to Toronto:
A video of Lowry’s Raptors profession highlights was proven earlier than followers showered him with love in Toronto. 3:47
On a day that Mayor John Tory declared “Kyle Lowry Day” in Toronto, Lowry vowed there would no tears throughout the pre-game festivities.
“I do know if I cry, DeMar [DeRozan] will make enjoyable of me and it is gonna go viral,” Lowry joked about his good friend and former teammate.
Following the video tribute that spanned his Raptors profession, the 36-year-old guard was launched with the acquainted: “From North Philly, to your metropolis. Kyle Luh-luh-luh-luh-Lowry!”
Wanting overwhelmed by the lengthy ovation, however dry-eyed as promised, Lowry raised his arms in gratitude at centre-court, his sons Karter and Kameron by his facet.
‘I missed every little thing about this metropolis’
Lowry grew to become the cornerstone of the Raptors’ franchise by his 9 seasons in Toronto, instilling a scrappy, workmanlike strategy that the workforce rode to their historic 2019 NBA championship. He is the franchise chief in assists (4,277), steals (873), three-pointers (1,518) and triple-doubles (16).
Lowry was traded to Miami final summer season for Treasured Achiuwa and Goran Dragic in what was an amicable cut up, saying, “It was simply time. It was naturally a superb phase-out.”
Arriving from Chicago early Sunday morning, the place the Warmth was overwhelmed 127-109 by DeRozan and the Bulls, Lowry mentioned it was an emotional drive alongside Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into town, previous acquainted landmarks like BMO Discipline, the CN Tower, and the workforce’s observe facility at OVO Athletic Centre.
“It is residence, the place I used to be for an extended, very long time. So it was cool,” mentioned Lowry, who’d posted the phrase “Residence” with two Canadian flags on his Instagram on Sunday.
“I missed every little thing concerning the metropolis, the nation, the group,” he mentioned. “It is loads to overlook.”
Lowry strolled into the pre-game media convention sporting a classy blue go well with and his championship ring, which seemed like a jumbo glittered jawbreaker, on his proper ring finger.
“One thing particular,” he mentioned, twisting the ring together with his left hand. “It is particular to me and town and the nation and the group, so why not put on it?”
Lowry had initially been scheduled to play at Scotiabank Feb. 1. That sport fell throughout two weeks he took off for private causes. Plus, COVID-19 restrictions meant only some hundred followers have been within the constructing that night time.
“I can solely think about the feelings that [Lowry] was going by,” appearing coach Chris Quinn mentioned on the festivities. “9 years of this metropolis, the wins, the ups, the downs, the championship. I may inform he was undoubtedly feeling a combined vary of feelings. And to have the ability to rejoice that together with his children, I am stunned he was capable of reel it again in and play so effectively.
“Clearly we wanted him tonight because the quarterback of our workforce. What a cool night time.”
The magnitude of the sport stretched past Lowry’s return. With simply 4 video games left within the regular-season, the Raptors need to lock up a top-six spot within the Jap Convention to keep away from the play-in event. The Raptors are sixth, two-and-a-half video games forward of Cleveland. The Warmth, who have been lacking head coach Erik Spoelstra to COVID-19 security protocols, have a two-game lead over Boston atop the convention.
Lowry scored Miami’s first factors with three free throws, then fed Markieff Morris for a layup. However the Raptors dominated the quarter and went up by 13 when Achiuwa drove to the ring late within the body. Toronto led 34-28 to start out the second.
The Warmth pulled to inside 4 within the second quarter, however the Raptors ended the body with an 8-2 run for a 55-45 lead on the halftime break.
The Raptors host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, Philadelphia on Thursday and Houston on Friday.
