star power
Well-represented Raptors set to make their presence felt at NBA’s big weekend
With the Raptors atop the East, it’s only fitting that Dwane Casey will now get to experience all-star weekend surrounded by family and the game’s elite as coach of Team LeBron.
Casey isn’t the type to bask in any individual acclaim or accomplishment, but make no mistake about the occasion and the profile allstar weekend presents.
It’s a big moment for Casey, the Raptors franchise, one of those moments that could potentially get even bigger and more profound if they can get out of the East and make it all the way to the NBA final. At that point, all eyes, including the many in the U.S. who pay little, to no attention, to the Raptors, will be on them.
Casey has been on this all-star stage before, but never as the head coach.
Casey is the ultimate ambassador for all things Canada, a class act who knows just about everyone and anyone associated with basketball.
The profile this weekend promises to create is bigger than anything the Raptors franchise has ever generated short of making it to the championship.
Casey is the first Raptors head coach to be in the all-star game.
Add in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan being back as all-stars and the spotlight should be bright.
Whether it’s one personnel move to bring in a shooter who can create or whether some internal development can fill that need at the wing position, the Raptors are close to breaking through.
Naturally, there will be considerable hype surrounding LeBron James and his newlook Cavs, an obvious storyline because it is LeBron and no one in pro sports moves the needle quite like King James.
Cleveland is younger, more athletic following its deadline deal moves, but the new parts acquired, outside of George Hill, are foreign to the pressure of post-season basketball.
The goal this weekend in L.A. is to sell Toronto, which does seem odd given how the Raptors have been around since 1995, but the perceptions, most of them imagined, remain with Americans who aren’t exactly known for their global view of the word outside of their border.
“We have to make sure we trumpet it (Toronto) for the great city that it is,’’ said Casey. “We’re well represented from a players’ standpoint, which is a testament to Kyle and DeMar who represent our city, our organization, our country, in a great way.
“It’s a great opportunity to do that and now I can talk about it. It’s going to be exciting. I’m excited for our organization and also for my family. It’s one of those things where my kids, my daughter is going to be a ball girl. It’s making memories for my family, making memories for our organization and the whole city.”
The concept of Team LeBron and Team Steph picking sides may bring a muchneeded dimension of competition, which is at the root of pro sports, excluding money and ego.
“That incentive with charities with the money going to charity and hopefully LeBron is proud enough that the team he selected wants to be the top team and let the chips fall where they may,’’ added Casey.
“I think the league has done a great job of creating an atmosphere where the games will be competitive, whether it’s financial incentives, ego incentive, LeBron versus Steph’s team, it should be competitive.”
For one weekend and likely for a few days into early next week, Casey can exhale a bit from his daily grind of getting the Raptors to continue to progress the right way for the playoff cauldron that will soon await.
“We have to keep it going,’’ said Casey. “We haven’t done anything. We’re at the top of the conference and it’s going to get even harder.
“That’s why it’s not jumping up and down because the goal hasn’t been finished. We need to continue to have that smooth ascension to get to the top.”
Casey knows the Raptors are now the hunted and every team is going to take their best punch at Toronto.
“Maturity,’’ said Casey when asked about the key to the post all-star break schedule. “It’s an understanding that we haven’t done anything. We want to get better. We’re not there yet, we haven’t reached our goal.”