Through all the pre-game hype videos at the Raptors home opener on Wednesday — the Kardi singalongs, the palpable joy of seeing Canada’s basketball team back in, well, Canada — you could feel the absence of Kyle Lowry. That much was obvious.
Lowry and the Raptors have been so synonymous with each other under this unprecedented generation of success, one Toronto is tentatively moving on from in the early stages of this season. Lowry’s attitude constantly pushed the team to success when it looked like none was possible. Even last year, with a pandemic raging and the team limping through a season in Tampa, Lowry still found a way to have multiple middle-fingers-up-classic-Kyle-Lowry moments.