Two years ago, in the chaotic seconds after the season ended, DeMar DeRozan dropped to the fallen Kyle Lowry and grabbed him and yelled into Lowry’s ear, like he needed him to believe. He said, ‘It’s okay that we put our season in your hands, because without you, we wouldn’t be here.’ A year later, the day after the Toronto Raptors’ season ended, they got on the phone and made promises to each other, because the next time it would be different.
And now Lowry and DeRozan are two of the best three players in the first-round series with the 45-win Indiana Pacers, along with Indiana’s Paul George.