The Raptors’ favorite former point guard returned to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on Sunday and was thrilled by a moving pre-match video tribute and a long round of applause. “I know that if I cry, DeMar (DeRozan) will make fun of me and go viral,” Lowry joked before the briefing. The lights went out and the video played during the announcement of the Heat launches. The 36-year-old guard introduced himself with the familiar: “From North Philly, to your hometown. Number 7, Kyle Luh-luh-luh-luh-Lowry!” Shocked by the long applause, but dismayed as he had promised, he raised his hands to please the crowd and then hugged Carter and Cameron’s sons. Lowry became the cornerstone of the Raptors franchise through his nine seasons in Toronto, instilling a miserable, hard-working approach to which the team led to the historic 2019 NBA Championships. of Raptors president Masai Ujiri and GM Bobby Webster. “It’s because of the respect I gained, but it’s also the relationship I created (with them),” Lowry said. “We were all in discussions at all times about everything. And they looked at me like someone who said, ‘Well, you helped build this thing, we’ll never respect you in any way,’ and I felt the same way. “Well, we wanted to do it the right way … and when you’ve given so much to a franchise and they’ve given you so much, you want to see it as successful as it is.” Arriving from Chicago early Sunday morning, where the Heat lost 127-109 to DeRozan and the Bulls, Lowry said the journey along Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway was moving. He mentioned the sting of passing well-known landmarks such as the BMO Field, the CN Tower and the team training facilities at the OVO Athletic Center. “It was like, hell, that was crazy,” Lowry said. “It’s home, the place I’ve been for a long, long time. So it was cool.” On Instagram on Sunday morning, he posted a black square with two Canadian flags and a word: “Home”. Lowry arrived at the pre-match press conference wearing the championship ring, which looks like a giant glitter chewing gum, on his right ring. “Something special,” he said, twisting the ring with his left hand. “I was like, ‘I’m going home, so let me wear something I felt I brought home. It’s special to me and the city and the country and the organization, so why not wear it?’ Lowry was originally scheduled to play in Toronto on February 1, but was absent from the team at the time for personal reasons. In addition, the restrictions on COVID-19 meant that there were no fans in the building that night. The magnitude of Sunday’s fight exceeded Lowry’s return. With five games left in the regular season, the Raptors are vying for a place in the top six in the Eastern Conference that would mean avoiding the play-off tournament. Miami is the top team in the East. “I hope to God we ruin (Lowry’s) night,” Raptors coach Nick Ners said before the briefing. “We love him, there is no doubt about it. But you know what? My job now is to kick his ass. We’ll see what happens.”
