Lowry: 'It's a wasted year' after Raptors fail to reach Finals
It was NBA Finals or bust for the Toronto Raptors, and, well, they're busted.
A day after the top-seeded Raptors were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a clean 4-0 sweep, Kyle Lowry expressed disappointment over his team falling well short of its target.
"It's a wasted year for me," the veteran point guard said Tuesday in his end-of-season press conference, dismissing the significance of Toronto finishing with a franchise-high 59 wins and an unprecedented No. 1 seed.
"We felt like we could possibly make the NBA Finals," Lowry explained. "That was our goal. It's always been a real goal for us, but this year, that was the only thing that matters."
Related: Raptors become 1st top seed in 49 years to get swept before conference finals
For the third consecutive year, LeBron James ended Toronto's postseason run, having defeated the Raptors in six games in the 2016 East finals and in another four-game semifinal sweep last year. Altogether, James has amassed 10 straight playoff wins over the Canadian franchise.
"We've lost to them three years in a row now. That guy (LeBron) is pretty good, he's really good," Lowry continued. "At the end of the day, I always say, 'To be the best, you've got to beat the best,' and we've continuously failed against the team that made the Finals the last three years."
Related: Raptors crumble en route to another disappointing playoff defeat
Despite the unfortunate ending to a record-breaking season, the 32-year-old All-Star offered some encouragement, saying he feels fresh both mentally and physically and has so much more to give, with the latest loss only serving as motivation to continue getting better.
The team's emotional leader is also optimistic about the development of talented young players like OG Anunoby, Jakob Poeltl, and Pascal Siakam, as well as the club's continuity - though that could change from a coaching standpoint, with Dwane Casey's job reportedly in jeopardy.
Fresh off signing a three-year deal worth $90 million, Lowry averaged 16.2 points, 6.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 32.2 minutes during the regular season.