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Toronto Raptors: 2015-16 Season Outlook

By Phil Watson

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Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) and Wizards guard John Wall (2) look on in the third quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) and Wizards guard John Wall (2) look on in the third quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Three Key Storylines (cont.)

2. Will Kyle Lowry’s well-publicized weight loss help his durability?

It was this photo, posted by New York Knicks forward Kyle O’Quinn, that started the ball rolling about Kyle Lowry’s offseason transformation:

Lowry played at 206 pounds last season and one of his strengths was his … ummm … strength. His stocky build at 6-feet tall allowed him to drive the lane with great effectiveness.

He told Stack.com that the weight loss wasn’t about showing off, it was about the 82-game grind and what comes next.

“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,” Lowry said.

Advice from his wife, who told him he was always at his best when he was at the 175 pounds he carried as a collegian at Villanova, triggered the initiative.

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    • “The saying is, the older you get, the lighter you’ve got to be,” Lowry said. “I thought Ray Allen did a great job of that and Chauncey Billups, too. I’m getting to the point where I’m a little bit older.

    “I’m still young, but I’m a little bit older and I can pick and choose how I want my body to look and feel. It’s good to understand your body. I want to be special. At the end of the day it’s all about me and how I feel and what I can provide for my team and my family.”

    He said it won’t change his game.

    “I’m still lifting, still moving the same way I used to,” Lowry said. “So there’s no change in that. I’m going to play the best basketball I can play.”

    If he can avoid the post-All-Star break swoon he had last season, when he averaged 15.1 points and 5.4 assists per game on .373/.350/.833 shooting after a first half of 18.6 points, 7.2 assists and a line of .423/.333/.802, the Raptors may be able to make that deeper playoff run they crave.

    Next: Storyline: Does Pat-Pat Starting At The 4 Work?

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