All-Star Break Review: In Praise of Kyle Lowry
Time sure does fly! Here we are at the 55-game mark, and at the All-Star break, with our beloved Raptors fresh off a 15-game winning streak (as well as the third best record in the Association and second overall in the East). Not bad considering some “experts” thought we wouldn’t make the playoffs.
With the Raptors putting everyone on notice that they have every intention of not going quietly when it comes to their title defense, we here at Life In Repeat decided to take a closer look at each individual player on the roster to see just how we got here and what they did to bring us here.
What better way to begin then with our 6-time All-Star and a franchise icon.
KYLE LOWRY
Can someone please tell me how is it that in his age-34 season Kyle Lowry just continues to get better. He looks the most explosive he’s ever been, he looks rejuvenated by this title defense, and, I gotta tell ya, the 2019 title has done wonders for his confidence. The dude is putting on a masterclass at the point guard position every single game. He’s essentially playing like someone who gives zero fucks.
His impact can’t be measured by simply looking at box-score stats alone (and don’t get me wrong, his basic accounting stats are phenomenal). But you need to watch night-in and night-out to see just how this guy impacts winning. He makes the right pass. He hits the big shot. He takes charges. He has incredible chemistry with everyone on the team (particularly with Ibaka). He’s also an incredible locker-room leader (just ask Giannis apparently):
Lowry is averaging just shy of 20 points per game — putting him in the same company as LeBron James as the only players 34 and older (yes I know Lowry doesn’t turn 34 until March) averaging that many points. Simply put: the dude is invaluable; and, for some reason, he keeps getting better with age — and he’s even mentoring the point guards of the future in Fred VanVleet and Terence Davis.
What more can we say. Lowry is a Champ, an All-Star, an All-NBA talent, and he’s going to give everything he’s got defending that title.
Sure, he’s missed 12 games this season but somehow we (yes, we!) went 10–2 in his absence. Is that a knock on Lowry? Absolutely not. In a weird way, it’s actually a compliment. As the leader of this team, he has empowered his teammates and mentored his eventual replacements to the point that they can take the floor without him and still be world-beaters.
When Lowry missed 11 games earlier in the season, and the team went 9–2 without him, some speculated that maybe the team might be better minus him. Obviously that was a ridiculous thing to say. Lowry, a franchise icon, will one day have his number retired by the Raptors along with his jersey hanging from the rafters.
Lowry is a World Champion and banners fly forever.
Until next time…
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