Toronto Raptors: Top five performances from perfect Week 16

1. Kyle Lowry

Opponent: Indiana Pacers

Stat line: 32 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 57 FG%

This was an important week for Kyle Lowry. Not only because the team was riding a winning streak but also because Lowry, by his lofty standards, had a down week the week prior. Averaging only 14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game in Week 15, Lowry was looking to bounce back in a big way.

Trailing Indiana by double digits after two quarters, Toronto needed somebody to step up. Lowry was doing well, with nine points in the half, but Siakam and others struggled on offence which caused the Raptors to fall behind. Lowry knew in order to be successful, Toronto would need to push the pace on offence in the second half to avoid having to go against a set Pacers defence every possession.

While the defence was tough by Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo, Lowry looked as aggressive as ever in the second half of this game. Two huge quarters added up to a 23-point half for Lowry who helped the Raptors erase their double-digit deficit from the first half.

Lowry’s fifth 30-point performance of the season helped keep Toronto’s win streak alive and showed how critical a cog he is in Toronto’s machine. He continues to be the leader of this team and in this game, Lowry was the engine that fuelled the Raptors comeback, a role he often plays.

Unfortunately, Lowry suffered a whiplash injury later in the week, in the rematch with the Pacers. While he missed the Brooklyn game, Lowry still finished this week with averages of 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game – safe to say he bounced back nicely and now must focus on getting healthy and returning to Toronto’s lineup.