Kyle Lowry credited the professionalism of the Toronto Raptors following their 113-97 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

"We've got pros. We've got guys who don't care what people say. We've got guys that kind of just don't give a f--- and just go out there and work. ... We have guys that just don't care. We are going to go play. No matter what, where, how, we're going to go play," Lowry told Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The Raptors lost to the Celtics at home on Christmas Day earlier in the week. They are currently playing without Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol, and Norm Powell.

The team have lost 103 games due to injury this season, tied for the 4th most in the NBA.

Lowry added that the Raptors are focused on peaking down the stretch.

"I think we learned last year to stay in that even-keeled and whatever happens, happens, and we'll figure it out. I think April, May and June -- that's when we really want to be our best team."

Magic Johnson had planned to be part of the Los Angeles Lakers' meeting with Kawhi Leonard despite his resignation several months prior as president of basketball operations.

The NBA reminded Johnson that he would not be allowed at the meeting since he no longer was employed by the Lakers and had resumed his presence as a media personality.

Leonard and his camp had sought privacy in his free agency process, but Johnson spoke publicly about his involvement with the free agent.

The notion that Leonard's decision would be impacted by Johnson didn't add up since he was no longer involved with the team.

“We did exactly what (Robertson) asked us to do,” a Lakers official involved in the process said. “They never said anything about keeping Magic’s mouth shut.”

A source with knowledge of Toronto’s process said the Raptors never truly believed that the Lakers were an option for Leonard.

The Lakers continued to pursue Leonard because one of their players had been told that Leonard truly wanted to join their team, according to a source.

The NBA conducted a formal investigation of the Los Angeles Clippers last offseason, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation that spoke with Sam Amick of The Athletic. The investigation focused on complaints that Kawhi Leonard's uncle, Dennis Robertson, had asked for improper benefits during the free agency process.

Sources say the NBA investigation found no evidence that the Clippers granted Robertson any of the improper requests.

According to sources, Robertson asked for part ownership of the team, a private plane that would be available at all times, a house and a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money they could expect if Leonard signed with their team. Robertson made those requests repeatedly to Jeanie Buss over the course of three phone calls.

The discussions with Robertson led Buss to suspect the Lakers were being used for leverage to help him get what he wanted from the Clippers. Sources say Robertson made similar requests to the Raptors.

The NBA subsequently doubled their fines for tampering while also re-emphasizing its ability to conduct random audits.

“This is because of Dennis. He didn’t know the rules,” said one agent.

Said one owner: “This (league-wide discussion) is all because of Uncle Dennis.”

Dennis Schröder and Kyle Lowry have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 9 of the 19-20 season.

Schröder averaged 25.3 points, 6.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder went 4-0.

Lowry averaged 24.5 points, 10.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors went 4-0.

Norman Powell is out indefinitely with a subluxation of the left shoulder.

Powell suffered the injury on Wednesday and left the game with 3:17 to play in the fourth quarter after a collision with another player.

Powell also partially dislocated his left shoulder joint early last season.

Pascal Siakam sustained a stretched groin after an awkward landing on Wednesday.

Siakam was evaluated Thursday and will be listed as out indefinitely.

Siakam has had an outstanding start to the season and has been thought of as a probable All-Star.

Marc Gasol will miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury.

Gasol left Wednesday's game with a strained hamstring.

Gasol is in the final season of his contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Pascal Siakam was the 27th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and has evolved from role player to key rotation player to legitimate superstar this season. 

“I didn’t see that he would be a superstar and he is a superstar in our league right now,” Dwane Casey said before Wednesday’s game against the Raptors. “He started 38 games in his first year and he was for us like (Pistons guard) Bruce Brown. He was that rabbit that comes out and guards the best player. Shooting was his last resort; it was his last offensive option.”

Casey also touted Siakam's work ethic.

“For those kids out there that want to see how good you can be, go watch him in the summertime. He is not worried about load management; the kid worked three times a day,” Casey said. “He and Rico (Hines) are out there in Los Angeles and they did a great job of developing his offensive game — and it’s on him. He did that all himself to develop his individual game, and his mom and dad did a great job with the DNA with the elite motor he has.

 “I saw that he was going to be a good starter in our league and the trade for Serge (Ibaka) took place, but the rest of it, he did on his own.”

Marc Gasol injured his left hamstring in the first quarter of the Toronto Raptors' 112-99 win over the Detroit Pistons and did not return to the game. 

The Raptors were already without Fred VanVleet, who missed the game with a right knee injury. 

Gasol has started all 27 games for the Raptors this season. 

Negotiations surrounding Masai Ujiri's potential move to the New York Knicks is expected to start with a baseline of two 1st round picks going back to the Toronto Raptors, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

There was a recent example of an NBA team demanding two 1st round picks when another team inquired about letting an executive out of their contract, SNY also reported. That transaction featured an executive a tier below Ujiri and was not completed.

Ujiri reportedly turned down a massive contract extension from the Raptors last summer.

MLSE chariman Larry Tanenbaum added that Ujiri is "here to stay" with the Raptors.