The numbers were to a large degree gruesome, and that´s not the least bit surprising because the numbers were gruesome right across the board.But despite them, despite the few shots and the fewer makes and a minutes total limited by early foul trouble and a pesky sprained thumb that became a mere afterthought, Kyle Lowry may not have played a better game than he did for the Raptors on Sunday night.It was without question a gritty and grimy and tough performance from the veteran point guard, who willed the Raptors back into a game they eventually won 92-90 on the strength of the most improbable shot in franchise history.A steal here, a stop there, a series of offensive rebounds he had no right getting: It was Vintage Lowry.Read more:Leonard bounces home biggest shot in Raptors history to reach Eastern finalRelentless Raptors win Game 7 battle worthy of the occasionVintage Greatness.Lowry was just 4-for-13 from the field, missed six of the seven three-pointers he took, but he also had six rebounds and six assists in his 39 minutes. Not bad for a guy who had to race back to the locker room in the second quarter to have a sprained left thumb taped up.`I really was impressed with his defence,` coach Nick Nurse said. `He was being so alert and aggressive with his switching out. When you saw an opening coming, he was out there.`He was great down the stretch defensively.`Lowry´s greatest impact came in the third quarter, when the game was in danger of slipping away from the Raptors.In a stretch of about three minutes, after Toronto had seen a five-point lead turn into a seven-point deficit, Lowry set up Serge Ibaka for a layup, had two offensive rebounds on the same possession that led to a Kawhi Leonard three-pointer and a steal that set up another Ibaka bucket.In what was one of the best displays of defensive basketball played here this season, the Raptors limited Philadelphia to 43-per-cent shooting and held them to one field goal in the final 31/2 minutes.Toronto fo ...
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