Sometimes the end result just doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Kyle Lowry’s long-awaited return to Toronto was one such case.
Yes, the Raptors lost this one by a final score of 114-109, all but sinking their hopes of a surprise run at home court in the first round. And yeah, they did so in frustrating fashion, losing the defensive identity they’ve really discovered over the course of the last month or so. Ultimately, though, this game was a win for everyone involved the second Mark “Strizzy” Strong announced Lowry’s name as Miami’s fifth starter, kicking off a video tribute that hit the mark and then some.