Title: KYLE LOWRY’S TRANSFORMATION INTO ELITE LONG-RANGE ASSASSIN
Date: January 10, 2017
Original Source: Vice
Synopsis: For my latest at Vice Canada, I looked at Kyle Lowry’s ridiculous shooting stretch, the extension of his range, and where it puts him among the league’s elite pull-up marksmen.
As Lucas Nogueira came up above the 3-point arc to set a screen, Montrezl Harrell abandoned him completely. Harrell’s focus was entirely on Kyle Lowry, whom Eric Gordon chased over Nogueira’s screen. The Rockets were trapping the Raptors’ high pick-and-roll, knowing that late in the shot clock and without DeMar DeRozan on the floor, Lowry would have little choice but to trust Nogueira—a gifted passer who is occasionally a beat slow making a decision—to make a play in the resulting 4-on-3 situation.
Lowry drifted to his left, Patrick Beverley came over to tag a rolling Nogueira, but instead of things playing out like Houston hoped—Nogueira catching a tough pass on the dive—Lowry pulled up. From 24 feet. Off the dribble. Going to his left. With two defenders on him.
Naturally, the shot dropped.
Continue reading at Vice.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 