Even though he would like to retire as a Raptor, Kyle Lowry is very likely nearing the end of his career in Philly. The six-time All-Star has been part of the 76ers for three years now. And even though the team is currently sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference, Lowry has faith that he will be playing in the playoffs by the end of the season, courtesy of Tyrese Maxey.
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For his part, Maxey has been on a roll this season, averaging 28.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.1 rebounds across 49 games. The Sixers point guard has also been steadily climbing the MVP ladder, jumping from eighth to fifth just a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the ladder, he has since slipped to tenth.
Despite this, Maxey remains confident the Sixers are going to make the playoffs this season. In fact, he appears to have promised Lowry as much.
“From last year, he told me, ‘Kyle, don’t worry about it. We won’t miss the playoffs, and I got you in your last season, or whatever it is, you will be in the playoffs no matter what.’ So I was like, ‘alright you got it,'” Lowry recently talked about the conversation he had with the 25-year-old.
Kyle Lowry on Tyrese Maxey:
“From last year he told me Kyle don’t worry about it. We won’t miss the playoffs and I got you in your last season or whatever it is you will be in the playoffs no matter what. So I was like alright you got it” pic.twitter.com/EE8xC7vAgv
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) February 7, 2026
Whether or not Maxey can make it happen remains to be seen, but it is still endearing to see the point guard try to do it for the aging veteran at the end of his career. It should not be surprising, though, since Lowry has long earned the love and respect of his peers and fans everywhere.
Often referred to as the greatest Raptor of all time, Lowry received a standing ovation in Toronto last month as the Sixers beat the Raptors 115-102. The 39-year-old made only a brief cameo in the game, checking in during the final 1:57.
But that was more than enough for the home crowd to show what he meant to them. Lowry spent nine seasons in Toronto and is widely acknowledged as the driving force behind their 2019 NBA championship run.
Notably, Lowry had replaced Maxey on the court, who later got teary-eyed as he revealed what it meant to see Lowry get his flowers.
“He deserved every bit of it … I told him I was about to start crying,” Maxey said. Lowry definitely deserves another playoff run, and while it might be a bit of a long shot at the moment, you never know. The NBA has a way of scripting perfect endings.
