Dwane Casey Ready to Fight Other Coaches if Kyle Lowry Isn’t an All-Star

For the second year in a row, Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is in danger of being snubbed once the NBA All-Star teams are announced later this month.

Head coach Dwane Casey is prepared to take things into his own hands (and fists), jokingly telling reporters Tuesday that he’ll fight any coach who doesn’t vote his point guard in as an All-Star.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is also pushing for Lowry to represent the Raptors in NYC during All-Star Weekend.

Per TSN:

When the league released its latest All-Star voting update on Thursday, Lowry was slotted fourth among Eastern Conference guards, behind Washington’s John Wall, Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving.

 

Fans are responsible for selecting the starters for the NBA’s annual All-Star Game, which will take place in New York City on Feb. 15, voting in two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference before the league’s coaches fill out the rosters.

 

One way or another the Raptors’ guard, in his ninth NBA season, is poised to become a first-time All-Star. In 34 games this season, Lowry is averaging a career-best 20.6 points (17th in the NBA and second among East guards, behind Wade) and 7.6 assists (tied for seventh in the NBA and ranked second among East guards, behind Wall). He ranks ninth in PER (player efficiency rating), third among Eastern Conference players at any position (behind LeBron James and Wade), and is seventh overall in win shares (estimated number of wins a player produces for his team), second in the East behind only Jimmy Butler of the Bulls.