NEW YORK—Kyle Lowry is out for at least the rest of the NBA regular season.

The Toronto Raptors all-star guard will have surgery Tuesday morning to remove loose particles in his right wrist and the team said he would “aim to return for playoffs.”

The playoffs begin April 15-16.

Losing Lowry is a crucial blow to the Raptors, who had won three games in a row heading into a Monday night outing here against the Knicks.

At 35-24 they are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference, mere percentage points behind third place Washington.

Lowry, in his 11th season, was averaging a career-best 22.8 points per game along with 6.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds.

The 30-year-old old said he originally hurt his wrist during a game Feb. 15 against Charlotte. He thought so little of the pain that he took part in the three-point shooting contest and NBA all-star game the following weekend before the discomfort continued.

He saw doctors in Toronto last week, missed weekend wins over Boston and Portland. A further examination led to the decision Monday to have surgery Tuesday morning.

The Raptors have 23 games left in the regular season.

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