Worried about the Raptors? 'Game 1 is just Game 1,' Kyle Lowry says

The Raptors have been here before.

In fact, they've been here a lot — that is, down 0-1 after the first game of an opening-round playoff series.

Over the years, the Raptors have made it to the playoffs seven times and they have lost the first game of the opening round in each of those first-round series.

In 2000, they lost a series-opener to the Knicks. A year later, they lost the first game to the Knicks again. The year after that, it was the Pistons.

In 2007, the Dinos dropped their opener with the Nets. A year later, they fell to the Magic.

Last year, they lost their series-opener to the Nets.

But the weekend loss to Washington doesn't mean the Raptors can't win the best-of-seven series.

Kyle Lowry said the team was at ease ahead of its first game and they knew what to expect. The overtime loss, in which he fouled out in the game's crucial fourth quarter, didn't rattle Lowry. "Game 1 is just Game 1," he said Sunday, adding the team has to treat each game individually.

"Every game of the playoffs is different because of the adjustments that you have to make," the Raptors guard said.

Fellow guard Greivis Vasquez admits it's frustrating to have lost the first game, but he told reporters the team just needs to press on.

"We can't panic," he said Sunday. "I think we have to just stay calm and keep our composure."

Toronto and Washington square off again on Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre.

"They won the game, we got the series now and we've got to do our job on Tuesday," Vasquez said.