A 2009 scouting report on Kyle Lowry noted that, among other things, he “brings some things to the table as a back-up.” Indeed, at that time Lowry was playing for the Houston Rockets, putting up modest numbers as a back-up point guard for Aaron Brooks.
My, how times have changed. After that season, Lowry was elevated to starting point guard, playing in Houston for two more seasons before moving on to the Toronto Raptors in 2012.2 Lowry has excelled in the Great White North, leading the Raptors to the playoffs in the 2013-2104 campaign, their first playoff season since 2008, during the glory days of Chris Bosh.
Not since then has Raptors franchise seen such success, and Lowry is the most integral role in that evolution. Last year was Lowry’s coming out party, as he averaged 17.9 points and 7.4 assists per game while putting up nearly five boards and a 3.02 assist to turnover ratio, eighth-best in the NBA.
This season Lowry has surpassed last season’s numbers and is garnering early All-Star consideration, putting up 20.7 points and 6.9 assists per game while shooting a career-high 45 percent from the field. His assist to turnover ratio has also vastly improved, going up to 3.83 through 20 games.
If you’re more into the metrics of the game, Lowry has shines there as well. His PER (player efficiency rating) is fifth in the NBA at 24.7, and is fourth in win shares per 48 minutes. While three-point shooting is easily the weakest part of his game, he has learned to limit his shots from outside the arc, putting up fewer than five three-point attempts per game at a 33 percent clip as opposed to last season, when he hoisted up well over 6 attempts per game at a 38 percent clip.
While his individual play has been impressive, leading the Raptors to a 15-5 start is what’s helping his resume the most. The team’s impressive play has been led by Lowry, who’s ability to score and distribute the ball equally has his name up there with the top point guards in the League.
Stats aside, and the success of his team aside, what is setting Lowry apart from other guards in the League, and from his play in seasons past, is that he is becoming the go-to guy for this Raptors team, and he is delivering. In back-to-back games last week Lowry put up 27 points on Tuesday against the Kings, then turned right around and put up 39 points in Utah the next night.
Lowry is proving that last season was not a fluke, and that his four-year, $48 million contract that he signed in the offseason was not only justified, but might have been quite a bargain for the Raptors.
Although Lowry was a first-round draft pick, he was initially seen as a pudgy, under-sized point guard who would be a capable backup for any team in the League. Marred by injuries early in his career, Lowry has reached his prime playing better basketball than he ever has before.
A look at Lowry’s place in ESPN’s NBA player rankings in the past few seasons is evidence of the steady rise of Toronto’s star player. In 2012, Lowry was ranked 51st; in 2013, 78th; and this season, 29th. Seen as one of the more underrated guards in the game, Lowry’s skill set is slowly making other teams take notice. What some NBA teams fear, and what Raptors fans are excited for, is that for Lowry, this is only the beginning.
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