The era of Kyle Lowry is officially over, as the Toronto Raptors’ greatest player of all time has officially begun a new chapter in his career with the Miami Heat. After a sign and trade between the Raptors and Miami, the free agent will renew efforts to win more championships in South Beach.
Lowry was signed and traded to Miami in exchange for sophomore and backup center Precious Achiuwa and point guard Goran Dragic. The end of Lowry’s tenure comes after nine mostly brilliant seasons of winning basketball.
There were five consecutive 50 win seasons, including a franchise-best 59 wins in 2018. His time in Toronto saw him personally appear in six All-Star games, and he led Toronto to two Eastern Conference Finals and a 2019 NBA Championship.
It has been the most fruitful era in Raptors history, and Lowry’s contribution cannot be understated. He was literally the heart and soul of the team. A 6-0 guard in a game of giants, he has 166 charges taken in the last five seasons, and he is top of the stats chart in many categories historically for the Raptors.
Kyle Lowry has signed his contract with the Miami Heat -- fully guaranteed three years and $85 million, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 6, 2021
Here is a look at the top five records Lowry helped set as a Raptor.
Top 5 Toronto Raptors records Kyle Lowry helped set.
5. The biggest Raptors comeback ever, December 21, 2019.
Lowry was instrumental in one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history.
This game vs. the Dallas Mavericks should have been a loss. It resulted in the type of comeback that hadn’t been seen in a decade. In 2009, the Kings pulled off a similar 30-point deficit victory vs. the Bulls. What the Raptors did vs. Dallas in 2019 was impressive due to how rare it is.
The Raptors were trailing this game by 30 points (83-53) with less than three minutes left in the third quarter. Lowry, missing teammates Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol, and Norman Powell due to injuries, took matters into his own hands.
He would score 20 points, one more than Dallas in the fourth quarter, and Toronto would outscore Dallas 47-21 in the fourth to win this game 110-107.
The Raptors' 5th straight win is a historic one. Playing without their leading scorer (Siakam), hottest scorer (Powell) and most valuable defender (Gasol), they erased a 30-point 2nd half deficit to beat the Mavs, 110-107 - the largest comeback in franchise history.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) December 22, 2019
Chris Boucher explained it best with this quote:
"“We all know that we have to step up, and it’s easier when you have somebody like Kyle that’s been there for years and always has a way to tell us what to do or what he needs from us,”"
Lowry has always been the consummate leader in Toronto. As Boucher infers, the team looks to Lowry for guidance. Whether it’s defense, scoring, or sacrificing his body, he always found a way to lead the team to greatness, and this game typifies that.
It’s easier to get your teammates to follow when you practice what you preach. He would finish the game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists in the greatest regular-season comeback in team history.