Title: Raptors scrimmage: Kyle Lowry sets a Lowry-ish tone, Serge Ibaka shines and more
Date: July 24, 2020
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about the Raptors’ first relaunch scrimmage, in notebook format.
As a rule of thumb moving forward, if you want a meaningless scrimmage game to feel like a playoff game, put Kyle Lowry and Russell Westbrook in a two-for-one situation.
Late in the second quarter of the Raptors’ 94-83 scrimmage victory against the Rockets on Friday, Lowry sensed an opportunity to tilt a close game in his team’s favour. Lowry taking advantage of every such opportunity in an exhibition is hardly new. He almost single-handedly made this year’s All-Star Game a chaotic, must-watch affair with his charge-taking and general competitiveness. On Friday, he was checking most of the boxes on the “KLOE BINGO” card, drawing a charge, arguing with the officials, delivering beautiful hit-ahead passes in transition and, to nobody’s surprise, not getting the favourable whistle in a continuation scenario.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 