FUN AND GAMES
Kyle Lowry will be going to next month’s NBA all-star game in Los Angeles — and hopes he doesn’t have to play against DeMar DeRozan (could happen).
ATLANTA— The Raptors asked Kyle Lowry to change a bit this year, to take less of a load so he’d be fresh when the games started to matter, even if it might have an impact on his individual stats.
Hasn’t seemed to matter in the greater context.
Lowry’s overall play — leading the league in charges drawing, rebounding a personal-best rate, shooting almost 40 per cent from three-point range — has landed him back in the NBA all-star game.
Lowry was voted in as an Eastern Conference reserve after balloting by coaches was made official on Tuesday night, and will make his fourth straight all-star appearance next month in Los Angeles.
“It means a lot,” Lowry said in an interview at the team’s hotel here. “It means the things we are implementing in our organization and our system with our team, it means it is working and that I can still play basketball at a high level and help my team win.
“But this is more of a team thing than an individual thing. All of my teammates are as big a part of this as me. Without them, me and DeMar (DeRozan, an all-star starter) would not be here.”
Lowry will be joined by New York’s Kristaps Porzingis, Washington’s Bradley Beal and John Wall, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Al Horford of the Boston Celtics and Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers.
The Western Conference reserves are: Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves along with LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The omissions of Miami’s Goran Dragic and Detroit’s Andre Drummond are Eastern Conference surprises; not having Houston’s Chris Paul, Oklahoma City’s Paul George and Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers as Western backups could also be considered surprising.
Starters LeBron James and Stephen Curry will hold a secret draft on Wednesday to select the teams that will be announced Thursday. The captains have to make their first four selections from the eight other start- ers, but are not beholden to any conference allegiances.
There is a chance Lowry and DeRozan won’t be teammates.
“I don’t know who it is, but I’m going to send a couple of text messages out and say I don’t care what y’all do, but y’all better make sure me and him are on the same team,” Lowry said.
Lowry will be part of significant Raptors contingent at the league’s mid-season showcase event. DeRo- zan was named a starter last week after voting among players, the media and fans, and Dwane Casey will in all likelihood coach one of the teams.
“We have had opportunities to have coach there before and hopefully we can lock it in and get coach there, too,” Lowry said. “I think having me and DeMar in there just adds another chapter to the book. He’s my guy and I wouldn’t rather be there with anyone besides him.”
Casey was adamant that Lowry was a logical addition.
“You look at the list and I just don’t see any other point guards out there better,” he said. “You go that (wildcard) category, any position, better than Kyle. You can put him in any position as a two guard also.”
Despite playing almost four fewer minutes per game this year than last and taking three fewer shots per game, Lowry’s averaging 17 points, 6.7 assists and a career-best six rebounds for the 31-14 Raptors.
“He should be an all-star,” DeRozan said. “There is no bid that needs to be placed. He just is what he is.”