All-star trio has set the tone for the Raptors

Lowry, DeRozan and Casey learned to put differences aside

Dwane Casey was having a quick chat a couple of hours before the 2018 NBA All- Star Game when a couple of familiar faces rolled up.

It was his two Toronto Raptors all-stars in DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry and while there were smiles and hugs, there was also a fair bit of trash-talking.

“Oh, are you plotting against us?” one of them said with a laugh.

For once, it was a fair question. For one night, the pillars of the greatest run in Raptors franchise history weren’t all on the same side.

Later Sunday, DeRozan and Lowry, members of Team Stephen, fell 148-145 to the Caseyhelmed Team LeBron at Staples Center.

Inside of the final minute, Team Stephen head coach Mike D’Antoni even handed his clipboard to Lowry to design a play for DeRozan and Lowry also said, “I knew the last play they (Team LeBron) were running.”

It was a bit of a bizarre night for the Raptors contingent, which also included Casey’s assistant coaches.

“That was tough. I love both of them as sons,” Casey said afterward.

“You look out there and you’re yelling at the guys to get up on them, to push them and to play DeMar’s left hand or right hand and push him left.

“All those things that you fight against as a coach, those things are the things that you feel bad about, but again, those two have carried us and pushed us and taken us in the conversation of being one of the top teams in the league. I’m proud of them for where they came from and they’ve made themselves multitime all-stars.”

The relationship between Casey and DeRozan, the longestserving Raptor, was always a good one because DeRozan is an extremely hard worker and is low maintenance like Casey, an NBA lifer.

But things with Lowry were different, as has been well documented. Both Casey and Lowry admit they can be bullheaded and they butted heads many times until they finally “got” each other. Now, Lowry says he “loves” Casey back and it’s a tremendous partnership, even if they might have differing opinions of what to do in certain situations.

“It was fun. I love Casey. He’s been a great coach to me, he’s been fantastic to me,” Lowry said.

Toronto enters the second half first in the East and in search of extended playoff success.

“It was good for the whole organization, the country, the city,” Casey said of the weekend as a whole.

“You know, seven years ago, where we started (dead last defensively with little talent on the roster) and we’re still not a finished product yet, it just shows that patience and continuity, no matter how much you rush it — we all want it yesterday — it doesn’t happen that way.”

Casey and the Raptors have proven a lot, but they will now be judged on what comes next and they are taking steps to make sure they are ready.

Coming through in the clutch more effectively is a priority.

“When we’re in close games, finishing better. Making sure we stick with what we do and make sure our defence stays tight,” Lowry said.