kyle lowry

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A little more than a month after kicking off training with the U.S. national team, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were standing on the podium in Rio, gold medals in hand. Electing to swap out offseason downtime with suiting up to represent their country, the duo had a month of basketball, bonding with fellow U.S. teammates, and an up-close view of the summer games. With a dominant 96-66 victory over Serbia in the gold medal game on Sunday afternoon, they also got to add Olympic gold medallist to their respective CVs.

In Sunday’s victory, DeRozan scored six points to go with two rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot in 11 minutes of play. He shot 3-for-4 from the floor. Lowry played nearly 22 minutes, finishing with five points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. The U.S. was a +21 when he was on the floor.

After getting off to a slow start, the U.S. trailed 13-11 when Lowry checked into the game. DeRozan joined him shortly after, and the Raptors backcourt, along with Paul George, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins helped the U.S. find its rhythm.  The United States would go on a 14-2 run to take control of the game and rolled toward the victory behind a 30-point effort from Kevin Durant and improved defensive intensity paired with offensive focus.

For a U.S. team being so deep on the perimeter, DeRozan’s role was mainly to provide scoring off the bench when needed. On Sunday, he was inserted into the game when Jimmy Butler had to go to the bench to be tended to by a team trainer. DeRozan filled in admirably on both ends of the floor and helped to kickstart the U.S. ball movement with a lovely pass to DeMarcus Cousins for an easy basket. Since Lowry and Kyrie Irving were the only point guards on the roster, Lowry often wound up coming in to settle things down on the offensive end and ramp them up defensively.  His hustle and defence were huge for a U.S. team that had to fight harder than it had become accustomed to in the preliminary round of the tournament.

Spain (along with familiar face/former Raptor Jose Calderon) joined the U.S. and Serbia on the podium, collecting bronze medals after defeating Australia in a thrilling 89-88 contest, while Serbia picked up silver. Jonas Valanciunas’ Olympics journey came to an end earlier in the week when Lithuania suffered a 90-64 loss to Australia in the quarterfinals. In six games, Valanciunas averaged 6.7 points, seven rebounds, and a blocked shot in just under 24 minutes per contest.

Teammates Delon Wright and Norman Powell were extremely vocal in support of their Raptors vets, posting shout outs on Instagram after the medal ceremony. For the two coming off their rookie season in the league, DeRozan and Lowry were the veterans who helped them learn the ropes of being in the NBA.

The Olympics capped off what was a magical year for Toronto’s leaders. After being named as All-Stars for the first All-Star game to be held in Toronto, the backcourt besties led the team to their best regular season finish, and then onto the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history before falling to the eventual NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. DeRozan immediately re-signed with Toronto in free agency and then he and Lowry were reunited to Las Vegas to begin their experience with their national team. 

With the Olympics coming to a close, Valanciunas, Lowry and DeRozan will each have a few weeks to regroup before heading to Toronto for training camp. However they choose to spend their final days of summer will be both hard earned and well deserved.

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An Olympics To Remember

Getting to compete in the Olympics is an opportunity that many people never get to experience. The trio of Toronto Raptors in Rio recognize this and have been doing their best to make the most of the opportunity.

Heading into Wednesday’s quarterfinals, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have helped the U.S. Team to a 5-0 record in the preliminary round. Lowry has been the team’s best option at point guard. DeRozan has popped off the bench to provide scoring and give the starters a breather. Both have impressed the coaching staff with their ability to adapt to their roles  on a team of superstar players. Jonas Valanciunas has had a bit of an up-and-down start in Rio, but Lithuania made it through preliminary action with a 3-2 record to finish third in their group, setting up a favourable schedule moving forward.

When the guys have been away from the floor, there’s been time to play tourist and get sightseeing in as well as birthdays to celebrate and presidents to pose with.

Below, a look at what Lowry, DeRozan and Valanciunas have been up to when not suiting up on court in Rio: 

DeRozan got things stared with his Instagram video from the team plane going viral when a grumpy Carmelo Anthony stole the show by refusing to join his teammates in a rendition of Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles.”

Valanciunas started his Rio experience by snapping a quick selfie with Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite:

Prior to preliminary action, Valanciunas and teammate Robertas Javtokas crossed an important item off the to-do list, posing in front of Christ the Redeemer while decked out in Lithuania basketball gear and massive smiles:

Valanciunas and his teammates also managed to fit in little bit of golf:

DeRozan celebrated his birthday on August 7, turning 27. Despite being away from family and friends, he was showered with appreciation by his teammates as well as by the NBA family as a whole. Lowry wrote a heartfelt and lengthy Instagram post to his bestie, highlighting all that the two have accomplished and endured since becoming teammates in Toronto:

Like Valanciunas and the Lithuanian team, Lowry and DeRozan made the trip to see Christ the Redeemer, posing for group photos: 

Lowry was sure to snap plenty of photos and videos to document the memories forever, smile plastered over his face:

Like Lowry, DeRozan was all smiles as the group continued their tour:

Of course, in addition to the sightseeing, there have been practice sessions, plenty of team dinners, and time to check out other athletes competing. Although neither Lithuania nor the U.S. Team have looked as sharp as they’d like through preliminaries, the true test will come in the quarterfinals where the tournament begins in earnest. 

Valanciunas and Lithuania will kick off the quarterfinals against Australia on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, while the U.S. Will face Argentina — and former Raptor Luis Scola — at 5:45 p.m. ET. 

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Raptors In Rio

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The National Basketball Association announced Thursday that Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry will participate in the Footlocker Three-Point Contest as part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night. Lowry becomes the third player in team history compete in the event, joining Walt Williams (1997) and Jason Kapono (2008 &amp; 2009).

Lowry leads all Eastern Conference players with 135 three-pointers made and is shooting a career-best .388 (135-for-348) from beyond the arc. He has recorded 12 games this season with four or more three- pointers, most recently February 2 at Phoenix (5-for-5), moving him ahead of Vince Carter for third-place among the team’s all-time leaders for three-pointers made (558).

Lowry, a two-time All-Star, competed in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge last season in New York City. He is looking to become the fourth player in team history to win an event during All-Star Saturday Night – Terrence Ross (2013 slam dunk), Jason Kapono (2009 three-point) and Vince Carter (2000 slam dunk).

In the two-round, timed competition, five shooting locations are positioned around the three-point arc. Four racks contain four orange balls (each worth one point) and one multi-colored “money” ball (worth two points). The fifth rack is a special “all money ball” rack, which each participant can place at any of the five shooting locations. Every ball on this rack is worth two points. The players have one minute to shoot as many as the 25 balls as they can. The three competitors with the highest scores in the first round advance to the championship round. Complete rules can be found at mediacentral.nba.com.

All-Star Saturday Night competitions can be seen on TSN and Sportsnet ONE in Canada and on TNT in the United States.

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Lowry To Participate In Foot Locker Three-Point Contest

Kyle Lowry didn’t have any reason to doubt. 

After stripping the ball from Boston Celtics rookie Marcus Smart with 36 seconds remaining and Wednesday’s game tied at 105, Lowry already knew that DeMar DeRozan would be behind him, ready for his bounce pass.

Although the highlight reels and Twitter mentions couldn’t get enough of DeRozan’s thunderous dunk over Canadian Kelly Olynyk, it was the precision of Lowry’s gamble and depth of the connection he shares with DeRozan that allowed the play to take place.

“I know that DeMar is always going to trail me,” Lowry said. “I was just hoping he was hurrying up."

Since Lowry came to the Raptors in the summer of 2012, he and DeRozan clicked. On the court, the two are the franchise’s undisputed leaders. Away from it, they are friends first and teammates second. Bonding over their passion for basketball, desire to win and off-court duties of being first-time fathers, one can often be found with the other. 

It isn’t necessary for teammates to be best friends to have success, but it surely doesn’t hurt. Because DeRozan and Lowry spend so much time talking about their team and the league as a whole, there’s a familiarity that gives them an advantage against their opponents.

The Raptors have struggled with slow starts in their first five games of the season, but still own a 4-1 record. That mark is largely because of second-half work from Lowry and DeRozan. The team is quick to acknowledge they cannot continue to fall behind early and expect their two stars to bail them out.

In the meantime, head coach Dwane Casey is thankful for them both.

“Kyle’s a competitor,” Casey said. “He’s a grinder. DeMar was right behind him [on that play]. I was proud of the way DeMar attacked.”

While Lowry is carving his name into franchise history with his mix of skill, tenacity and competitiveness, DeRozan’s dunk wasn’t his only accomplishment in Toronto’s 110-107 victory against the Celtics. Contributing 23 points, DeRozan moved to fourth on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list. For a player who has constantly spoken about his commitment to the franchise that drafted him in 2009, it feels good to see his work pay off.

“That’s in the books forever,” DeRozan said. “It’s crazy when I honestly think about it.”

One thing he doesn’t ever have to stop to think about is what to do after Lowry gets a steal. 

“That’s our thing,” DeRozan said. “Whenever he’s on the fast break he knows I'm trailing him.That’s one thing for sure, every time he gets it, [and is] pushing it, I’m coming.”

Following a steal against the Celtics in early November, or a crushing miss against the Brooklyn Nets during Game 7 in May, DeRozan’s words about Lowry ring true. Ever since the point guard slipped on a Raptors jersey, DeRozan has had his back. As the group looks to build on last season and hopes to excel thanks to the blend of talent and chemistry, it is the bond between they leaders that sets the example for the rest of the roster.

Another key to the locker room is the unselfish nature of the team’s two stars. Content to share the spotlight with whoever is feeling it on a given night, DeRozan and Lowry care only about winning. When the two biggest names have their focus on the right things, the rest of the team has an easier time following. As the Raptors kick off a seven-game homestand, they hope to shake off their slow starts and save DeRozan and Lowry from needing to deliver late-game heroics. 

“That’s what’s great about our team,” DeRozan said. “It’s not just going to be me and Kyle, it could be anybody.”

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Backcourt Leadership Paving The Way For Raptors

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Raptors Top 10: Kyle Lowry

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The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have re-signed free-agent point guard Kyle Lowry to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

“We made it known that our top priority heading into the offseason was to re-sign Kyle,” said Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri. “He was a key to our success last season and we are delighted that he wants to be here in Toronto to help us continue to build a championship program.”

The eight-year veteran played a key role in leading the Raptors to a club record 48 wins and their second Atlantic Division title in team history.

Related: Photos Gallery | Novak Traded To Jazz

Lowry, 6-foot, 205 pounds, posted career highs in points (17.9), rebounds (4.7), assists (7.4), field goals made (457), three-pointers made (190), three-point percentage (.380), free throws made (313) and minutes (36.2) in 79 contests, all starts, during the 2013-14 season. He ranked seventh in the NBA in assists per game and tied for eighth in three-pointers made.

Lowry paced the Raptors in scoring on 19 occasions and in assists in a team-high 61 outings. He scored in double figures 72 times with 35 games of 20-or-more points. He posted double-digit totals in assists in 19 contests. He became the fourth Raptors player to record two triple-doubles in the same season. Lowry had 39 games with multiple steals, including nine straight games from November 15 – December 3 where he averaged 2.6 per game.

Lowry registered a season-high 33 points January 29 versus Orlando, a career-best 12 rebounds at Minnesota on March 9 and a season-best 14 assists January 1 versus Indiana.  He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played January 27 – February 2, leading the Raptors to a 3-1 mark while averaging 25.0 points, 8.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds. His averages of 18.3 points, 8.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds in January made him the only player in the Eastern Conference to average 18+ points and 8+ assists for the month.

In the Raptors’ first-round playoff series against Brooklyn, Lowry finished second on the club in scoring (21.1), assists (4.7) and minutes (38.8). He scored in double figures in all seven games, with four games of 20+ points. He totaled 22 points and added a series-best eight assists in Game 1 on April 19. He grabbed a personal-high nine rebounds in Game 2 on April 22 at Air Canada Centre. In a Game 5 victory at Air Canada Centre on April 30, Lowry record a game-high 36 points (11-19 FG, 6-9 3FG, 8-10 FT). He added 28 points (12-14 FT) with seven rebounds May 4 in Game 7.

The Raptors acquired Lowry from the Houston Rockets on July 11, 2012. In his two seasons in Toronto, Lowry has averaged 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 33.2 minutes in 147 regular season games.

Lowry was a first-round selection (24th overall) by Memphis in the 2006 NBA Draft. He has appeared in 506 regular season games (270 starts), averaging 11.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 28.8 minutes for Memphis, Houston and Toronto.

raptors-re-sign-kyle-lowry

Raptors Re-Sign Kyle Lowry

Thursday, June 19th marked the 24th anniversary of Nelson Mandela first coming to Toronto to bring his message of change. Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri did not let the day pass without paying tribute to his hero.

In the afternoon, Ujiri, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, Amir Johnson and former NBA great Dikembe Mutombo visited Nelson Mandela Park Public School to spread Mandela’s message.

Johnson — who was pleased to inform reporters he did not need offseason surgery on his ankle— shared a story about Mutombo blocking one of his shots as a rookie and delivering his classic finger wag. He was also touched by the reception from the children as the group entered the gymnasium.

“It was very inspirational,” Johnson said. “Very inspiring to hear Masai, Mutombo speak.

“I’m still kind of overwhelmed myself at how many people look up to me, when the kids are screaming. It’s a very big ordeal.”

Later in the evening, each attended Ujiri’s ‘Madiba: An Evening Honouring Nelson Mandela’ benefit. The event, hosted in Toronto’s Distillery District, paid tribute to the life and legacy of the former South African president.

“It’s special to me in my heart because I’ve met him a couple of times and he dedicated his life,” Ujiri said. “He was the father of Africa and I am one of the millions of sons.”

The guest list for Thursday’s benefit included DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Toronto FC’s Jermain Defoe, and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Luol Deng. Aloe Blacc performed and Wolf Blitzer co-hosted the event which raised funds for the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Ujiri’s Giants of Africa foundation.

Related: Watch Red Carpet Video From The Madiba Tribute Event

Also in attendance were Nelson Mandela Foundation chief executive Sello Hatang, NBA Africa vice-president and managing director Amadou Gallo Fall and South African anti-apartheid activist Tokyo Sexwale.

As people floated along the red carpet, the vibe was a positive one in celebration of Mandela’s greatness.

“I have to give back,” Ujiri said. “For me, it would be a failure if I could not give back.”

Lowry called Ujiri a great man and spoke of how the sport of basketball has changed his life. He said there was zero hesitation about attending when Ujiri extended the invitation his way.

“He’s the most upfront, honest guy you’re going to deal with,” Lowry said. “He’s very vocal but he knows how to get his point across at the same time by not screaming and yelling.”

MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke had similar praise for the dedication his general manager has to his native Africa.

“[He] amazes me with his heart, his commitment, his thoughts and prayers that continue to go back to his roots, and for the trials and tribulations that many in South Africa still go through every day,” Leiweke said.

Defoe chatted about England’s World Cup loss on the red carpet, but grew serious when speaking about Mandela's legacy, calling him an angel who wanted to make change and help others.

Now in a position to effect change, Ujiri has continued to speak out about what is important to him. Since founding Giants of Africa in 2003, Ujiri has been committed to using basketball as a tool to help empower youth in Africa. 

Ujiri spoke of Mandela’s message of kindness and of the importance of giving back to children to create a brighter future.

“The more you give, the more you grow,” Ujiri said.

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Ujiri Hosts Star-Studded Day Of Tribute To Life Of Mandela

Raptors gave them something to talk about. Fans gave them something to talk about. That's a wrap on the incredible season that was but the power of #WeTheNorth isn't going anywhere. #RTZ

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#RTZ Digital Rundown: Raptors vs. Nets – Game 7

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