How the fukk do you acknowledge that he's protecting his future/money, but then criticize him because Kidd played through injuries, as if that automatically makes him the better player (Kidd would have done the exact same thing under the same circumstances)? Futhermore, I don't wanna hear this nonsense about Kidd playing through injuries,
as if Lowry hasn't played through injuries for the last 3-4 postseasons:
2015 postseason -
Windhorst: Injuries taking toll on Lowry,
Kyle Lowry’s health questioned amid Raptors’ playoff struggles - he injuried his back and missed nine games near the end of the regular season, he also was dealing with a shin contusion, infected hand and hamstring issues:
2016 postseason -
He fukked up his elbow near the end of the regular season, and was dealing with pain all throughout the postseason (plus had to have his elbow drained multiple times), while trying to work around it to change his shooting form. Prior to his elbow injury he averaged 22 ppg on 45% FG/60 TS% over nearly 70 games. Kidd never at any point of his career displayed that type of offensive production - he never even came remotely close. When Lowry returned - he ended up shooting 32% and averaging 16 ppg, just because of how much he struggled with that elbow injury. He still persevered throughout the entire postseason, and was the main reason the Raptors went all the way to the ECF and took the Cavs to six games. Not to mention he had multiple 30+ point games in the playoffs:
And this is all with him adjusting his form and dealing with the pain of that injury.
2017 postseason -
Kyle Lowry to have wrist surgery, likely gone until playoffs - he broke his wrist (the same one he did 10 years earlier) and didn't return until the end of the season. The funny thing is, he had had been playing with it injured for most of the season until he injured it to the point where he couldn't even move his wrist when he woke up the next morning.
Once again, he displayed an offensive skillset and produced at a higher level than Kidd ever showed at any point of his career prior to that injury - 23 ppg on 46% FG/62% TS, while taking EIGHT 3-pointers a game and hitting them at 42% - he was a top-3 3-pt shooter before his injury. This dude was up there with the best scorers in the game, with a shooting efficiency that wasn't too far away from Steph Curry's historic season.
Yes Kidd did play with an injuried knee during the '04 playoffs, but why does he get a pass for averaging 10 ppg on 28% shooting in a series (going scoreless and 0-8 in a Game 7), and yet Lowry gets criticized for his 'poor' performances in the postseason when he's dealing with his injuries? All the while being more productive and more of a threat than Kidd was in the postseason - Lowry averages more points on better efficiency in the postseason.
Why is there one rule for one player, and another for the other? Could it be perhaps because y'all NEVER actually watched Kidd during his prime? Stop looking out through those rose-colored glasses and start dealing with reality.
The fact you either 1.) don't want to acknowledge there's instances where Lowry has played with injuries through multiple postseasons or 2.) you're not aware of those instances where he was dealing with injuries, let's me know you shouldn't be discussing this shyt.
@DonKnock @Illeye buckmatic @BlackAchilles @smitty22 @Rigby. @hayesc0 @Tunez y'all can get educated on this too.
.
