Kyle Lowry sounds emotional night in win against Raptors
Kyle Lowry is shutting down his borderline Hall of Fame career, and at 39, Father Time is really looking for him. And with his career coming to an end soon, he couldn’t help but feel emotional as he returned to Scotiabank Arena, Toronto Raptors‘ the backyard he had called his home for so long. This trip for Philadelphia 76ers north of the border could be Lowry’s last visit as a professional basketball player, and he ended up playing two minutes of garbage in his potential Scotiabank Arena swan song.
Lowry was a franchise cornerstone for the Raptors from 2012 to 2021 and played a big role for the team in their run to the title in 2019. And he got a warm welcome from the Raptors fan base despite playing for the division rival 76ers — a reception befitting one of the greatest players, if not the outright greatest, in franchise history.
Towards the end of the 76ers’ win over the Raptors, Lowry caused a stir every time he handled the ball, making it seem like Toronto wasn’t down by double digits for much of the night. And him creditable to his team because he was locked in and blew Toronto to the point where Lowry could get on the floor in garbage time.
“The guys came out with great focus and I think that was part of their plan … and I got to experience probably one of the biggest moments of my basketball career,” Lowry said, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.
Raptors legend Kyle Lowry
Lowry led the Raptors for so many years; even with one broken heart after the playoffs, Lowry always left it all on the court. He struck gold when Kawhi Leonard came in during the 2018-19 campaign and swept the Raptors — further sealing Lowry’s legacy as a winner.
The current 76ers guard should have his No. 7 retired by the Raptors as soon as he is eligible for such an honor, and his contributions to the franchise will be forever remembered.
2026-01-13 05:12:00
