The Toronto Raptors were expected to be one of the notable teams set to take a big step back this season after securing their first championship in franchise history. But despite a small sample size that hasn’t been the case thus far, as a 6-2 record has them squarely in the contender conversation out East.
However, now the Raptors will have to survive at least a handful of games without star floor general Kyle Lowry in the lineup. Lowry injured his hand in Toronto’s 122-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. On Sunday, the team announced Lowry had suffered a dislocated thumb on his non-shooting hand. The release also says Lowry is expected to miss at least the next two weeks of action.
While it’s been breakout fourth-year man Pascal Siakam who has received heaps of praise for Toronto’s solid start, Kyle Lowry has again been one of the team’s primary driving forces. The Raptors have enjoyed tons of success in recent years and the common denominator of the equation has been Lowry’s consistent play from the point guard position.
The savvy veteran had been outstanding again to open the season, helping lead Toronto to six wins in their first eight outings and posting per-game averages of 21.8 points to go along with 6.5 assists.
With that type of productivity now absent for at least a couple of weeks, the Raptors will have to look for other contributors out of the backcourt. One of the best facets of this Raptors team is their depth so perhaps their play doesn’t slip as much as one would expect without an All-Star in the lineup. Expect Fred VanVleet to shoulder most of the offensive load left behind by Lowry while reserves such as Norman Powell and Terence Davis could also have a chance at larger roles moving forward.
