Toronto Raptors come back down to earth against the Denver Nuggets
By Paul Taylor
1) Kyle Lowry provides assists but little else
Kyle Lowry returned to the lineup on Monday night and everything is theoretically good in the world again. However, something isn’t quite right.
Yes, Lowry was back to his assist-dishing best, as he finished with 11 dimes. In that respect, he continued showing the form which has seen him ascend to the top of the league in average assists per game.
Further, a lot of people will tell you this evolution is as a result of Nick Nurse’s schemes and the addition of Kawhi Leonard. But, there may well be another contributing factor to this upturn in assists for the four-time All-Star.
Whether it be a lack of form or confidence (or both), Lowry just isn’t shooting the rock as well this season. This was highlighted against the Nuggets, when he had just five points, making just one of seven attempts from the court.
The criticism might sound strange, when talking about a player who is on course for the second-highest field goal percentage of his career. However, after a strong start to the 2018-19 campaign, Lowry’s shooting just hasn’t been as efficient of late.
The 32-year-old’s shooting from downtown has been particularly poor. In fact, at his current rate, he is on course for his second-worst three-point shooting percentage in nine seasons.
It’s possible Lowry’s shooting has been compromised by a lingering back issue. Regardless, it is something he has to resolve, if the Raptors are to make some noise come playoff time.