Kyle Lowry says Raptors not dead but “five feet under”

So, you’re saying there’s a chance?

Off to a 3-13 start, the Raptors are not only disappointing the optimists in Toronto that thought they could sneek into the playoffs, they are disappointing the pessimists who didn’t expect them to be this bad. Their defense, which kept them competitive for much of last season, is giving up 3.2 more points per 100 possessions than last year, dropping them from average to bottom five in the league.

Add to that the Raptors are in the deepest division in the NBA — Boston, Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia — and things are not looking good.

But the Raptors are not dead, Kyle Lowry told Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (via twitter).

“We’re not buried, but we’re five feet under… we’ve got a team that’s going to fight and claw and chip away and get to two feet, to three feet, and get above ground.”

So, you’re saying there’s a chance?

It’s not a lot of fun right now, Raptors fans, but in the long term another trip to the lottery and another talented young player is better for this team going forward than an 8 seed and getting wiped out in the first round.