Toronto Raptors held their exit interviews on Tuesday, the day after their play-off. All-Star Kyle Lowry became clear in his analysis.
“We had the feeling that we could reach the NBA Finals. That was our goal,” said Lowry after the Raptors lost 0-4 to Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last year. For the third time in a row, the Canadians failed due to the team of LeBron James.
“If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” Lowry said. “We haven’t been able to beat the team that has reached the finals for the last three years.” Despite 59 wins in the Regular Season, which was a franchise record, Lowry called the season a “wasted year.
After another defeat, everything is under scrutiny in Toronto, and head coach Dwane Casey’s job is reportedly not safe either. Lowry said on Tuesday that although he had clashed with Casey in the past, he had “always believed in him. “He’s one of the best coaches ever,” Lowry said.
In the series against the Cavs, the Point Guard complained that his team had not played physically enough. “We did well in the Regular Season, but the playoffs are just different,” Lowry said. The same applies to James, whom Lowry described as “one of the best players who ever played the game.