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How Kyle Lowry’s new weight affects the Toronto Raptors

By Graeme Klayh

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“Bro is that Kyle Lowry??” asked J.J. Redick.

“yeah!! Lol. The slimmer version,” Kyle O’Quinn answered on his Instagram photo.

Lowry and a handful of NBA players were working out together one day when the above photo was taken. Safe to say Lowry stole the show and the internet went wild over it. Recently, Lowry broke the silence on his weight loss and why it mattered to him in an interview with Stack.com.

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Lowry’s game involves so much ferocity, passion and lack of regard for his body. These are reasons Raptors fans love him so much, but these are also factors that lead to a player wearing down throughout an 82 game season.

Since he took on heavy responsibilities for the Toronto Raptors two years ago, there has been a steady climb in his production. In 2013-14, he was the leader of the top ten ranked defense and was an offensive powerhouse. In 2014-2015, he was an All-star, taking on an incredible workload when DeMar DeRozan went down with injury. The effort he put in to support his team caught up with him at the end of the season.

Lowry spoke about the grind of the NBA in the Stack interview.

"“It was about me wanting to be the best player I could possibly be, and trying to educate my body to make sure I’m the best player I can be for 82 games and a long playoff run.” – Kyle Lowry"

The hope is that a lighter and slimmer build will take the pressure off his joints as the season wears on. This bodes well for Raptors fans because the team needs him operating at a high level to be successful.

Lowry’s game also relies on his size and quickness. In previous seasons, he would be able to bully opposing guards with his strength. This is where the ‘pitbull’ tag grew from. Lowry has an answer for that too.

"“I’m still lifting, still moving the same way I used to. So there’s no change in that… I’ve always tried to be stronger than people and just a bigger bully. People are making a big deal out of something. I’ve always worked hard. This is just me changing up the way I do it, the way I dieted and the way I eat, the way I grind. I’ve always worked hard, it’s just now I’m smarter and older and I know how to work.” – Kyle Lowry"

Everyone seems to be excited about this new identity. We know Lowry’s abilities on the court but we can’t stand watching him burn out at the end of each season. Let’s hope this helps counteract the aches and pains gained from the marathon that is an NBA season.

Next: Luis Scola is a key player for the Toronto Raptors

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