TORONTO -- Paul Pierce ripped off his headband and flung it into the crowd before stopping a step short of the tunnel to survey the scene like Richard Nixon, flashing double peace signs.
Or was that supposed to mean 2-0?
"Paul, if we say we love you will you stop beating us?" a typical rabid yet polite Raptors fan yelled to him. But he was gone inside the tunnel by then, barking for all to hear how he didn't want to have to deal with customs again, the first hints of the possibility of a sweep so there's no return to Canada for a Game 5.
Every year it's jarring how reductive the playoffs can be, boiling off the regular-season fluff and revealing so much. Here's what has become evident after the Washington Wizards beat the Toronto Raptors 117-106 Tuesday to leave the country with the only two road wins thus far in all eight playoff series: The Wizards, who didn't have as good a regular-season record as the Raptors and, in fact, went 0-3 against Toronto, currently have more talent.
This is arguable when all things are equal; in truth, there isn't much difference between these teams. But things are not equal right now. John Wall and Bradley Beal are whipping Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Lou Williams. In a series that was going to be defined by guard play, it's not a fair fight.
It will be interesting to see what Lowry says about his health when he feels he can be totally honest, whenever that might be. Whether it's the day the Raptors clean out their lockers -- and that day could be approaching quickly -- or it's in training camp next fall, it seems possible he's going to tell a tale of how much his back is affecting him at this highly inopportune time.
He's is talking a good game, saying before Game 2 that "I feel great, I'm here kicking," but his play is saying something different. It has been for a while now; it's truly not a surprise. And without their bulldog point guard able to engage full scale with Wall, the Raptors are just outclassed.
Lowry is a shell of his normal self, the vicious and relentless basket-attacker with an angry streak that turned him into this franchise's player. The guy whom the Raptors rewarded with a four-year, $48 million deal last summer and the leader who was voted in to start the All-Star Game after a brilliant first few months of the season is missing.
It's probably related to his back, but he's had hamstring and hand injuries over the last two months as well. Now it's a bruised shin after Pierce inadvertently kicked him there in a collision that knocked him out of the last six minutes of the Game 2 loss. He limped out of the arena with evaluations scheduled for Wednesday.
Lowry missed nine games with a lower back injury after suffering a bruise on March 19. He attempted to come back once only to shut it down. In February, he also needed three games off to deal with an array of maladies as the wear of the season started to catch up with him all at once. If this weren't the playoffs, there's a chance Lowry wouldn't be playing, as his back issue might be something that could use a lot more rest.
After All-Star Weekend, which in retrospect could turn out to be the high point of Lowry's season, he shot just 37 percent and averaged 15.1 points. Before the break, he averaged 18.6 points and was shooting 42 percent.
These days he doesn't turn the corner as quickly, doesn't change directions as fast and seems to be missing the edge that he made a trademark of his game. The Wizards are exasperating this, using a game plan that is smothering him with traps he cannot seem to navigate effectively as he should be able to.
"He's just trying to get back into the groove and he's struggled," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "I know Kyle, he's not going to say 'Hey, it's my back.' You have that much time off you just don't walk back into it."
Lowry is just 5-of-20 shooting in the first two games of this series. He watched Wall put up a masterpiece on him in Game 2, scoring 26 points and 17 assists as Lowry couldn't get around the picks that were freeing Wall to terrorize the Raptors in space. He's also been in foul trouble both games, missing the overtime of Game 1 after fouling out.
He was forced to the bench in the second quarter with three fouls Tuesday and it coincided with a lineup switch Wizards coach Randy Wittman used, going small to spread the floor with Pierce at power forward, which led to scores in 14 of the last 17 first-half possessions in the stretch that decided the game.
"I've got to figure out a way to stay on the floor," Lowry said afterward. "I feel s----- right now."
So much for the "great" pregame declaration; this comment seemed closer to the truth. With him reduced, the Raptors probably have little chance.
The bottom line is the Wizards typically aren't a good offensive team, relying on defense and transition baskets to overcome other shortcomings. The Raptors typically are a good offensive team that statistically is the worst defensive team to make the postseason in either conference.
Yet Toronto lost a game where it got a pretty good defensive effort, losing Game 1 despite giving up just 82 points in regulation and 39 percent shooting, and now they've lost a game where they played good offense, scoring 106 points on 49 percent shooting. This does not bode well, as if the 0-2 hole didn't already say that loud and clear.
There will be strategy sessions and calls to arms -- Casey challenged his team after the game to start being more physical, a classic postseason plea for a team down in a series -- but without the real Lowry this could turn out to be academic. That's certainly the impression that's been made thus far.
"Somehow we've got to change our body language to show that we have some type of emotions," guard Greivis Vasquez said. "We've got to play with some passion. We have to play like we love that game, that's about it."