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TORONTO - When Kyle Lowry was first introduced to the city o

 
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BerichtGeplaatst: 23-01-2019 03:22:38    Onderwerp: TORONTO - When Kyle Lowry was first introduced to the city o Reageren met citaat

TORONTO - When Kyle Lowry was first introduced to the city of Toronto back in the summer of 2012 he was forced to share the stage with a new teammate, Landry Fields, the two acquired by the Raptors three days apart. Authentic Ray Ban Sunglasses Wholesale . Lowry, Torontos fallback option after a failed attempt to woo Steve Nash, was brought in from Houston to battle incumbent point guard Jose Calderon for the starting gig. Then general manager Bryan Colangelo had high hopes for Lowry but at that moment, a consolidated news conference in the concourse of the Air Canada Centre, he was just another player. He was due to earn $5.8 million that season. For Lowry those days are long gone. Thursday morning represented the Raptors first opportunity to make sure he knew that. With the official announcement of Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquezs extensions on hold, likely until early next week, this day was all about Lowry. It was his moment, well deserved, not unlike his freshly signed contract and significant pay raise. "This is awesome," Lowry said, borrowing the phrase from GM Masai Ujiri, who had used it moments earlier. Ujiri and his star point guard sat side by side on stage in Real Sports Bar and Grill, located across from the ACC in the heart of downtown Toronto. This was not your run-of-the-mill press conference. It was an event. The Raptors had opened up the festivities to their fans, who played hooky from school and work on a Thursday morning to support a player they have adopted as their own. They screamed, they chanted, they took photos and Lowry - an introvert, who doesnt generally hand out smiles - couldnt wipe the smirk off his face. Retaining Lowry had been the Raptors top priority from the moment last seasons playoff run came to an abrupt end. They spared no expense in showing the 28-year-old how much he means to the embattled franchise and they wasted no time in getting him locked up. Lowry agreed to terms on a four-year, $48 million deal last Wednesday, officially putting pen to paper Thursday morning when the free agent moratorium period was lifted. Lowry was courted by a number of teams - including title contenders in the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat - when free agency unofficially opened on July 1. "They were real factors," Lowry admitted. Returning to Toronto, however likely, was not a lock. Along with his family and agent, Andy Miller, he considered his options, weighing pros and cons and doing his due diligence before coming to a quick decision. It didnt take long for him to realize where he wanted to spend the next three years, with a player option for the fourth. "I think the process was a difficult one but at the end of the day it was an easy one, it was the best one," Lowry said. "I didnt really think about it, honestly, until a week before free agency started. I knew it was going to be kind of stressful, but stressful in a good way. At the end of the day it was easy, it was easy to come back here." "I didnt want to wait for everybody else," he continued, taking a subtle shot at a few of his fellow free agents, who appear to be in no rush despite holding up the process for the rest of the league. "Im not going to wait for this guy to make a decision, I wanted to make my own decision and I wanted to make it when I was ready and I was ready after day one. So thats how easy the process was." Houston and Miami offered him a chance to compete for a championship right out of the gate but Toronto countered with their recently constructed winning environment, high aspirations, and an opportunity for incremental growth on the way to their ultimate prize. Most importantly, Lowry - an alpha dog by nature - wanted to lead a team to the promise land. Make no bones about it, the Raptors are Lowrys team. "The driving factor was winning," he said. "Honestly, I knew the money was going to come. I knew the years [were] going to come, so that wasnt too much of a worry. I just wanted to be in a situation where I can win and personally grow, as a man and as a player, and help a team and help an organization get to the point where theyre holding that trophy up." With the spotlight comes the pay cheque. "I was [financially secure] before," he joked in response to a question about his new pay raise. "[But] this helps." His new contract will be more than twice the size of his previous one, a four-year, $23.5 million deal signed in 2010, having earned a total of $28.8 million over the first eight years of his career. Lowrys one-time reputation for being a malcontent, like his anonymity, is a thing of the past. Of course, hes not the only one that stands to benefit, shedding a less than flattering league-wide perception as a result of this remarriage with the Raptors. "Everyone says Toronto cant do this, or Toronto cant sign back their own free agents," Lowry acknowledged, with a tip of the cap to the franchises disappointing history. "I just proved that wrong. Im back." Before the Raptors can establish themselves as a preferred destination for the NBAs brightest stars, they know they must take care of their own. Even in a years time - as the team has turned its fortunes and its fan base has reminded the league why theyre one of the best - Ujiri continues to notice a significant change in how the city is perceived when speaking to players around the association. "100 percent," said the Raptors GM. "I think people saw what happened here." "Players want to win and players want to be treated well and we try to treat players well," Ujiri continued. "I think Kyle Lowry was at the forefront of that. Players in the NBA see that and they want to come play where its a great atmosphere, theyre treated well and theres a culture of winning. We expect more players to come here." According to Ujiri, Lowry was ready and willing to do his part in the recruitment process almost immediately after agreeing to terms last week. Still technically a free agent, Lowry texted the Raptors GM shortly after the two reached a verbal agreement to ask him if there was a player he could call and try to steer in Torontos direction. "I wish I had more money to sign another player," Ujiri joked. While all-star and leading scorer DeMar DeRozan remains an integral part of the teams future - and played a significant role in Lowrys decision to return - the unmistakable face of the resurgent Raptors was sitting centre stage. The team is his and, evident in Thursdays mornings turnout, so too is the city. He wont be sharing the stage, or the spotlight any time soon. Two years ago, almost to the day, Colangelo gave Lowry the keys. Now, Ujiri has given him the whole car. "You dont get many chances to say its your team," he said. "Honestly, you dont get many chances. As a competitor, as a professional, I relish in that, the fact that I get to say its my team, Im the leader of the team." Cheap Ray Ban Sunglasses . Its the second straight year he has decided not to play as he cuts back his schedule. Stricker was replaced in the field by Ryo Ishikawa of Japan. Cheap Ray Ban Sunglasses Outlet .The Toronto Raptors guard, who will represent the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game in New Orleans on Sunday, says he doesnt complain in the face of adversity "because I know this little girl is just happy for anything. http://www.cheapraybanfromchina.com/ . -- Pinch-runner Rajai Daviss decision to steal third base just as Oakland catcher Derek Norris was throwing the ball back to the pitcher caught most everyone by surprise -- including several of his Detroit teammates.PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins put together a fast start Friday night, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury took care of the rest. Fleury made 30 of his 37 saves over the final two periods, helping Pittsburgh hold on for a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. "We werent giving them much (at the beginning); I was getting a little lonely back there," said Fleury, who improved to 12-2 at home. "But they didnt quit. They kept coming out after us. It was nice to hold on and get the two points." Pascal Dupuis scored 41 seconds into the game, and Chris Conner and Jayson Megna also scored in the first for Metropolitan-leading Pittsburgh, which has won seven of eight. The Penguins also extended their home winning streak to seven games. Patrik Elias and Dainius Zubrus scored 56 seconds apart early in the second period, but New Jersey dropped to 1-4-1 in its past six. After Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission, the Devils controlled the remainder of the game. But Fleury was sharp. Perhaps his best saves came on Steve Bernier -- twice, with a pad and then his stick while sprawling -- with 14:40 to play in regulation. Fleury then denied Damien Brunner on a partial breakaway minutes later. "Hes going to tell you its nice to be able to get a lot of shots and flurries and action at his net," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "But I think hed just assumed not have grade-A chances on him at key points of the game - especially in the third period." The Penguins survived a frenzied final push by New Jersey, avoiding the fate of allowing a goal to an opponent that had its goalie pulled for the third game in a row. "We took our foot off the pedal in terms of how we played and how we executed with the puck," Bylsma said. "We were a little careless in how we managed the puck." Dupuis goal set the tone, coming off a misplay by Devils goaltender Cory Schneider. Chris Kunitz carried the puck into the zone and flipped a fluttering puck on net as he crossed the blue line. Schneider had trouble covering it, and Dupuis eventually poked it in for his fifth of the season. "Obviously, just an inexcusable goal," Schneider said. "That cant happen at this level. Its not fair to my teammates to put them dowwn 40 seconds into the game. Ray Ban Sunglasses Sale Cheap. " Conner then made it 2-0 at 7:55 when Brandon Sutter sprung him alone in the slot and he used a wrist shot beat Schneider for his second goal of the season. Megna, a rookie in the lineup only because of injuries and the suspension of winger James Neal, scored for the second time in four games -- his fourth overall -- with 5:20 to play in the first. But the Devils took 15 of the first 16 shots of the second period and had a 19-5 advantage in shots in the period overall. After the first intermission, New Jersey outshot Pittsburgh 32-11. "We were clearly the better team the last 40 minutes," Schneider said. "Fleury made some real big saves and was definitely, by far, the better goalie tonight." New Jersey got to Fleury twice. Elias scored 3:24 into the second after a failed Devils power play. Zubrus then pushed a fluttering puck that was sitting on the goal line into the net after a Jaromir Jagr shot deflected off Megnas leg, making it difficult for Fleury to handle. "The second and third we started moving our feet, and thats how we started creating some chances," Zubrus said. "Were a pretty good team - weve just got to get our minds into it from the start of the game and start skating right off the hop. When we do that, when we play 60 minutes, we can play against anybody." Fleury is second in the NHL in home wins and goals-against average, and third in save percentage at home. "After (the third goal), we didnt play the way we wanted," Megna said. "We need to play a complete game after that, and I think Flower made it stand up for us." NOTES: Penguins D Brooks Orpik skated briefly Friday morning. Orpik, who is still experiencing concussion symptoms, is not expected to return to game action anytime soon. He has not played since Bostons Shawn Thornton grabbed Orpik from behind, pulled him to the ground and punched him, knocking him unconscious. Thornton has been suspended indefinitely, and his hearing with the NHL was Friday. ... C Sidney Crosby earned an assist on Dupuis goal, extending his point streak to five games. ... The Penguins, who are 14-3 at home, have scored at least three goals in 14 of 17 games at Consol Energy Center. ... Elias has a five-game point streak. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '
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