Hardwood Highlight of the Night: Lowry rewards Valanciunas for strong defensive play

It doesn't matter how it starts, what's important is how it's finished. That's certainly something the Toronto Raptors can attest to.

The Raptors found themselves down 15-0 to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers before scoring their first basket more than four minutes into the first quarter. But once Toronto finally got on the scoreboard, it was able to turn things around. 

Jonas Valanciunas sunk a free throw to give the Raptors their first point and immediately followed it up by stepping up on the defensive end to prevent a 76ers basket. 

Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel tried to run a little two-man game, but Valanciunas single-handedly shut it down. 

With Carter-Williams operating at the top of the arc, Noel came in to set a screen on Kyle Lowry for a little pick-and-roll action. 

Lowry fought through the screen so Valanciunas didn't need to step in and switch defensive assignments.

Knowing that Noel isn't going to do anything with the ball that far away from the basket - and that the 76ers' play was designed to have him roll to the hoop - Valanciunas laid low and started creeping back toward the basket. 

Valanciunas anticipated what was about to unfold, but Noel was still able to get a step on him and get the ball in a prime position to do damage. 

But Valanciunas recovered to deny him at the rim, and then raced back down the court ready to be a contributor on the other end. 

Lowry, being the good point guard that he is, rewarded his big man for the defensive play and for running the floor. The sequence can be seen below:

The play gave the Raptors some life, and even though the game was ugly, they managed to claw back and pull out an eventual win. Valanciunas finished with 11 points, while Lowry saved the Raptors from an embarrassing loss by taking over in the fourth quarter to lead Toronto to a 91-86 victory. 

(Courtesy: CSN)