Kyle Lowry Won't Play vs. Thunder Because of Soreness from Ankle Injury

Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry will not play Wednesday evening against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of ankle soreness, per team reporter Eric Smith:

While Lowry suffered a thigh injury earlier in the season that caused him to miss time and played 60 games in 2016-17 because of a broken wrist, he has been fairly durable of late. He appeared in 70 or more games in four of the last five seasons entering the 2018-19 campaign. 

Toronto can ill afford to lose the five-time All-Star for significant time if it is going to deliver on championship hopes with LeBron James no longer standing in the way in the Eastern Conference.

Lowry can hit from the outside, attack the lane off the bounce and facilitate when defenders collapse on his playmaking. He is averaging 14.8 points and 9.0 assists per game as the team's floor general who helps take some of the offensive pressure off of Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam.

Look for the Raptors to turn to the combination of Fred VanVleet and Jeremy Lin at point guard while Lowry is sidelined.

Few teams in the league have as capable of a duo backing up the starting point guard, so VanVleet and Lin can ideally keep the team afloat until Lowry is ready to return.