---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not…"
description: "\"It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not cool to lose in the first round anymore. The goal is to make the Finals.\" — Kyle Lowry"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg"
---

#  It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not cool to lose in…

![“It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not cool to lose in the first round anymore. The goal is to make the Finals.” quote by Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg)

> “It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not cool to lose in the first round anymore. The goal is to make the Finals.”

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Making playoffs is easy; losing early is not; aim for championship.

**In simple terms:** Winning the finals is the true goal.

Key Takeaway

Focus on ultimate success.

Themes

sports competition ambition

Mood

driven focused

Type

motivational strategic

When to use this quote

- team strategy
- season planning
- player development
- fan engagement

Key Concepts

goal hierarchy performance pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps lead from playoffs to finals?
- How handle setbacks?

A Different Perspective

Championship pursuit can cause burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Playoffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playoffs/)

## Related quotes

> [Well, of course you question it, especially when you get to this point. I always look at it would I rather not make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/well-of-course-you-question-it-especially-when-you-get-to-this-point/)

[LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/)

> [Just being in the final is amazing. I make a point of trying to make a few finals a year and to actually get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-irons/just-being-in-the-final-is-amazing-i-make-a-point-of-trying-to-make-a/)

[Andy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-irons/)

> [One of the things I learned playing on a good team is when the team wins, when you make the playoffs, everybody looks good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/one-of-the-things-i-learned-playing-on-a-good-team-is-when-the-team/)

[Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/)

> [There's a lot of pressure every time we lose a game. We don't have a lot of room for error right now. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/there-s-a-lot-of-pressure-every-time-we-lose-a-game-we-don-t-have-a/)

[Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/)

> [I can say all of the goals I want individually, but if we make the playoffs those individual accolades will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/i-can-say-all-of-the-goals-i-want-individually-but-if-we-make-the/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

> [I want to make the playoffs here, figure out how to change the culture in Sacramento. Just from being there, the city and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-huerter/i-want-to-make-the-playoffs-here-figure-out-how-to-change-the-culture/)

[Kevin Huerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-huerter/)

> [I thought it was going to be easy. I thought it was going to be every year, 'Oh, we're going to the Super Bowl.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-janikowski/i-thought-it-was-going-to-be-easy-i-thought-it-was-going-to-be-every/)

[Sebastian Janikowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-janikowski/)

> [I just want to win as a team, take road games, play some of the top teams and beat them to make the playoffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-knox/i-just-want-to-win-as-a-team-take-road-games-play-some-of-the-top/)

[Kevin Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-knox/)

> [You don't sell the team short and say, 'We're just trying to make the playoffs,' or anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fizdale/you-don-t-sell-the-team-short-and-say-we-re-just-trying-to-make-the/)

[David Fizdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fizdale/)

> [The season is a beast within itself. It's not the quickest race; it's a marathon. In the playoffs - if you're fortunate enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/the-season-is-a-beast-within-itself-it-s-not-the-quickest-race-it-s-a/)

[Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/)

> [What I've learned so far from researching is that to win the Stanley Cup, you have to make the playoffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-leonsis/what-i-ve-learned-so-far-from-researching-is-that-to-win-the-stanley/)

[Ted Leonsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-leonsis/)

> [I don't pay attention to accolades or any of that stuff because I think it can serve as a distraction, so for me, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/i-don-t-pay-attention-to-accolades-or-any-of-that-stuff-because-i/)

[Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/)

> [No matter how noble and special people want to make the playoffs out to be... it's a crapshoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orel-hershiser/no-matter-how-noble-and-special-people-want-to-make-the-playoffs-out/)

[Orel Hershiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orel-hershiser/)

> [I'm going to make the playoffs. You can believe that. To never play in the playoffs, that will not be my legacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladainian-tomlinson/i-m-going-to-make-the-playoffs-you-can-believe-that-to-never-play-in/)

[LaDainian Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladainian-tomlinson/)

> [I'm pretty sure everybody in the NBA wants to make the playoffs. Every player, every coach, every organization wants to make the playoffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hardaway-jr/i-m-pretty-sure-everybody-in-the-nba-wants-to-make-the-playoffs-every/)

[Tim Hardaway Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hardaway-jr/)

## More by Kyle Lowry

> [I'm going to represent my country the best I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-m-going-to-represent-my-country-the-best-i-can/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [Our brotherhood in the NBA is really tiny, and we really all appreciate and support and want each other happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/our-brotherhood-in-the-nba-is-really-tiny-and-we-really-all/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [It was probably 'Contra' - 'Contra' was the game that really got me into video games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-was-probably-contra-contra-was-the-game-that-really-got-me-into/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [It's about being a better player today than you were yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-s-about-being-a-better-player-today-than-you-were-yesterday/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [We'll do anything it takes to win a basketball game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/we-ll-do-anything-it-takes-to-win-a-basketball-game/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [I love being an All-Star and continue to want to be an All-Star because that just shows you my talent and who I am.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-love-being-an-all-star-and-continue-to-want-to-be-an-all-star/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [For me, I'm still going to shoot the halfcourt shot if I can. I don't worry about my percentages too much. It's about winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/for-me-i-m-still-going-to-shoot-the-halfcourt-shot-if-i-can-i-don-t/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [I have never been a recruiter. It won't ever happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-have-never-been-a-recruiter-it-won-t-ever-happen/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [You're not just playing for one city in Toronto, you're playing for Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/you-re-not-just-playing-for-one-city-in-toronto-you-re-playing-for/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [I don't mind being a second fiddle. I don't mind that. I don't care whatever happens, whatever helps my team get a championship is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-don-t-mind-being-a-second-fiddle-i-don-t-mind-that-i-don-t-care/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [When I give back to the community I don't do it for anything except because I want to give back to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/when-i-give-back-to-the-community-i-don-t-do-it-for-anything-except/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [There is a sense of frustration because we are losing games that we know we are capable of winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/there-is-a-sense-of-frustration-because-we-are-losing-games-that-we/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [Thank you to the wonderful Raptors fans across the NBA, especially in Canada! I am amazed by your passion for our team and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/thank-you-to-the-wonderful-raptors-fans-across-the-nba-especially-in/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [I understand that every day I have to be a leader on and off the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-understand-that-every-day-i-have-to-be-a-leader-on-and-off-the-court/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [I want to be that consistent all year. I want to play the same way all 82 games. I want to be consistent every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-want-to-be-that-consistent-all-year-i-want-to-play-the-same-way-all/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

[Explore all 99 Kyle Lowry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

## More Cool quotes

> [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/)

[Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/)

> [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/)

[Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/)

> [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/)

[James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/)

> [Vo5C0y Muchos Gracias for your article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serivce/vo5c0y-muchos-gracias-for-your-article-really-looking-forward-to-read/)

Serivce

> [What a cool job to be part of - whether it's doing lighting or acting or serving food on set. You're part of telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/what-a-cool-job-to-be-part-of-whether-it-s-doing-lighting-or-acting/)

[Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/)

> [Jail is definitely not cool. Education is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-rule/jail-is-definitely-not-cool-education-is/)

[Ja Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-rule/)

> [It's been really fun to see with each album when I change to see the fans of the show emulate my style and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/it-s-been-really-fun-to-see-with-each-album-when-i-change-to-see-the/)

[Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/)

> [My family environment wasn't cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keyshia-cole/my-family-environment-wasn-t-cool/)

[Keyshia Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keyshia-cole/)

> [It would be really cool to have my dad here to witness this, to see his grandchildren, to see this woman that I chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/it-would-be-really-cool-to-have-my-dad-here-to-witness-this-to-see/)

[Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/)

> [To us, being the bad guys is cool, because we always root for the bad guys in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/to-us-being-the-bad-guys-is-cool-because-we-always-root-for-the-bad/)

[Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/)

> [On my podcast, I got to interview Will Ferrell, Sam Hunt, Colin Cowherd - all these different names - and it was just really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/on-my-podcast-i-got-to-interview-will-ferrell-sam-hunt-colin-cowherd/)

[Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/)

> [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [I had always been scared of the unknown, and I think it had a lot to do with a lack of self-confidence (and wearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/i-had-always-been-scared-of-the-unknown-and-i-think-it-had-a-lot-to/)

[Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/)

> [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/)

[Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/)

> [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/)

[Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/)

Browse all 4,681 Cool quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not cool to lose in the first round anymore. The goal is to make the Finals.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kyle Lowry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not-cool-to-lose-in-the-first/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cool"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not-cool-to-lose-in-the-first/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/kyle-lowry-6397_cool_it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not_792053.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's cool to make the playoffs. It's not cool to lose in the first round anymore. The goal is to make the…” — Kyle Lowry",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Kyle Lowry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's cool to make the playoffs....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not-cool-to-lose-in-the-first/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-s-cool-to-make-the-playoffs-it-s-not-cool-to-lose-in-the-first/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
