Kyle Lowry is an All-Star Starter
On Jan. 22, Kyle Lowry received the surprise honour he so rightfully deserved. The 28-year-old point guard was been named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. Fans of the Toronto Raptors successfully pushed Lowry past Dwyane Wade, who has started in nine-straight All-Star games.
With two weeks left in the voting period, chances seemed slim that Lowry would be able to overcome Wade’s immense popularity. Wade was leading Lowry by more than 100,000 votes, but fans stepped up. Of course, it didn’t help that the Miami Heat star missed several of his last few games due to injury. This season, Lowry has participated in 42 games, whereas Wade has only appeared in 32 for the struggling Heat.
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Both players have put up great numbers so far this season, but one big factor that might have separated Lowry was the fact that he has led a young, winning squad (28-15). Wade has led an old, tired squad to an unimpressive record thus far (18-24). Winning clearly matters to voters. Quite plainly, it’s easier to wrack up huge numbers if you are one of the only players with any sort of offensive ability on your team. When Wade wants the ball, he gets it. Always. So, he can shoot whenever he wants, and thus scores more.
Lowry is on a team full of guys who can contribute and help out each other. He doesn’t get as many touches as Wade, but he certainly earns more assists (7.5 to 5.5 per game). What Lowry does so amazingly is lead his team without hogging the ball, or without trying to play like a hero too often. He knows when to pass and when to shoot. He helps his team win, but knows that he doesn’t have to do all the work. This has helped him thrive in his role on the Raptors this season.
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It is impossible to say what might have triggered the last minute surge in Lowry’s votes, but he has definitely earned every vote on the court, as he has tried to will his struggling team forward. Maybe pop star Justin Bieber was the catalyzing force. He showed a genuine, albeit mistaken attempt at supporting Toronto’s brightest star. People still (for some reason) listen to the Biebs, so he could have truly helped Lowry earn support from non-basketball fans.
Lowry and John Wall will start as guards for the East, marking the first time since 2000 that two guards were selected as first time starters for the same team. Lowry joins Carter and Bosh as the only Raptors to ever be picked as starters. This is a big deal for the pugnacious point guard, who has absolutely dedicated himself to winning in Toronto.