The news that Link might miss tonight's game due to a fever became the most talked-about story today, aside from his return to the top spot in the Most Valuable Player Award rankings.
It could be said that the biggest question surrounding this entire game was whether Link would be able to play.
If Link could play, then the Raptors would most likely be finished.
Though that was a little harsh, neither Lowry nor DeRozan was on the same level as Link.
Back when Lowry was with the Grizzlies, he could barely get any playing time. It was only after joining the Rockets that he finally made a name for himself. Going from an unknown to a league star, he was one of the NBA's most inspiring players. But at the same time, Lowry's talent truly was not elite.
Although DeRozan had been a lottery pick, he was a player with extremely obvious strengths and weaknesses.
In an era when even Gasol had attempted ten three-pointers in a single game, DeRozan, as a shooting guard, was actually poor at mid-range and long-range shooting!
DeRozan's "career-defining performance" from beyond the arc came in the 2010-11 season.
That year, DeRozan attempted a total of 52 three-pointers, but made only 5 of them.
His three-point percentage for the season was just 9.2%.
If anyone said James was bad at threes, DeRozan would definitely be the first to disagree.
That was why DeRozan had never become a league superstar. He was a legitimate All-Star, a solid shooting guard, but no more than that.
It was hard to imagine how those two could contend with a monster who had once put up a quadruple-double in a single game. If Link took the court full of energy today, at least half the suspense would be gone!