Tyronn Lue played in the NBA for eleven years before he took up coaching, and during that time, his career crossed paths with many of the stars of today’s NBA. One of those players is Kyle Lowry, and despite the fact that Lue and Lowry never played on the same team, the two apparently formed a bond during the Cavs coach’s time in the league.
As Lue has risen through the coaching ranks, and Lowry has become an All-Star talent, the two have kept in touch, and Lue even spoke to him during the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs when the Raptors point guard was struggling to guide his team past the Pacers and Heat.
Now that it’s the Eastern Conference Finals, however, the situation is a little different. Lue, of course, coaches the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team standing between Lowry’s Raptors and the NBA Finals. Although Lue is one of Lowry’s mentors, he now is tasked with finding ways to shut him down.
So far, it’s working. The Cavs have a 2-0 lead in the series after two blowout wins in Cleveland, and Lowry hasn’t been playing up to the level he’s capable of. The Toronto Sun has some additional perspective on just how poorly the Raptors star has played in the first two games.
For the record, Lowry fell shy of 12 points five times during the regular season, where he averaged 21.2 a game. In the first two games against Cleveland, he has 18 points, less than half his normal output.
The Raptors have played 16 playoff games, won eight, lost eight, and when Lowry scores 20 or more points — three times with more than 30 — they have a 4-1 record.
The starting lineup of Cleveland outscored the starting lineup of Toronto 89-48.
This isn’t the shooting slump Lowry was in early in the playoffs. This isn’t that crisis of confidence. This just seems to be a player out of sorts, trying too hard to score, playing frustrating defence when he isn’t scoring, turning the ball over too often and early, ending up with just three assists.
Considering how much his team needs him to step up, this would be a great time for Lowry to reach out to a mentor like Lue to help guide him through a tough time.
Unfortunately, that’s not entirely possible – not that it stopped him from trying.
Lue says he talked to Lowry throughout the first two rounds, and Lowry wanted to come watch last night's game with him. Knew he couldn't.
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) May 19, 2016
Ty commenting on long time relationship with Lowry, says Tor guard texted him wishing he could review G 1 w/him but know's not possible
— Fred McLeod (@CavsFredMcLeod) May 19, 2016
The Raptors point guard will have to right the ship on his own without the guidance of Lue if he’s going to get Toronto back in the series. The Raptors can still make something out of the ECF if they can hold their home court, but nothing in the first two games has indicated that that is likely.
Lowry has had a rough postseason, and I’m sure Lue wishes he could give him some words of encouragement or a piece of advice to help get his game back on track. However, when it comes to winning a championship, both Lue and Lowry have to put their relationship aside to focus on their individual greater goals.
