Kyle Lowry gave Toronto its best shot

— -- TORONTO -- Kyle Lowry was on his back when the buzzer sounded. In the middle of the lane, the Toronto Raptors point guard put his hands over his face, his potentially series-winning shot blocked by Paul Pierce. DeMar DeRozan, Lowry's co-star throughout Toronto's most successful season in over a decade, came over to console him. The Raptors had lost Game 7 to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday 104-103, and instead of a continuing their surprising season, they will have a few months to meditate on this moment.

"I just told him, 'Don't worry about it,'" DeRozan said. "I can sleep at night knowing he took that shot. I can live with it, Kyle taking that shot. 'Don't be down on yourself,' that's all I was telling him. Just being there to support him. I told him without him we wouldn't even be in this situation."