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A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 18 april 2017
Raptors, Kyle Lowry look to recover from latest slow start

IAN HARRISON two rebounds. bounce back,” DeRozan
Associated Press “It’s one game,” coach said. “Even if it’s not with
TORONTO (AP) — Kyle Low- Dwane Casey said Mon- points, it’s getting every-
ry is experiencing playoff day. “I don’t think we body involved ... rebound-
deja vu, only with a twist. should overreact. Every- ing the ball, pushing the
The All Star point guard for body has a rough night. I tempo and putting us in
the Toronto Raptors says know Kyle will find his way the right positions out there
his latest Game 1 failure back to his star status.” on the floor.”
doesn’t just feel familiar, it’s Lowry’s career playoff One of Lowry’s three made
even worse than those that shooting percentage of baskets in last year’s Game
came before. .379 is the second lowest 1 loss to Miami was an un-
Lowry scored four points figure of any active player likely half court heave to
in Saturday’s 97-83 loss to with at least 500 postsea- force overtime. Long af-
Milwaukee, connecting on son shot attempts. Clippers ter Toronto lost that night,
just two of 11 field goal at- guard Jamal Crawford is at Lowry returned to the court
tempts and finishing 0 for 6 In this Jan. 1, 2017, file photo, Toronto Raptors coach Dwane .378 after going 4 for 12 in alone to work on his shot,
from 3-point range. Casey talks with guard Kyle Lowry during the team’s NBA bas- Game 1. staying past midnight as
His disappointing perfor- ketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles. Fellow All Star DeMar DeRo- cleaning crews collected
mance brought back Associated Press zan is Lowry’s closest friend garbage from the other-
memories of the series- on the Raptors, but said he wise empty arena.
opening struggles Lowry with flu-like symptoms, a drive, he said, “I had four hasn’t felt the need to de- This year, Lowry passed on
faced last year, including despondent-looking Lowry arms around me. Every liver any kind of message of the extra practice, instead
3 for 13 efforts against both said he was struggling to shot I took was contested support or encouragement sounding defiant about
Indiana in the first round ditch the disappointment or run off. to his locker room neigh- his plan of attack for Tues-
and Miami in the second, of his latest playoff stinker. “They did a good job. They bour. DeRozan said he ex- day’s Game 2.
and a 4 for 14 effort against “It gets worse,” Lowry said. game-planned really well pects Lowry to contribute “Put it this way: I guess I’m
Cleveland in Game 1 of “It got worse.” for us.” any way he can in Game going to have to force
the Eastern Conference Fi- Milwaukee’s long, athletic Saturday’s contest was 2, even if his shots aren’t shots,” he said. “My team-
nals. defenders made life rough Lowry’s fifth after being falling. mates want me to be more
Sitting slumped in a chair on Lowry in Game 1, giving sidelined for 21 games fol- “Nobody wants to have aggressive, so I’m going to
at Toronto’s practice facil- him little room to manoeu- lowing wrist surgery. He four points but one thing have to force some more
ity on Sunday, still dealing vre. On every attempted finished with six assists and about him, he’s going to shots. Simple as that.”q