When it comes to admiring the staggering numbers that Russell Westbrook and James Harden are putting up nightly, Kyle Lowry is like the rest of us. He too is in awe of the "ridiculous numbers" and admits it has been "unbelievable to watch."
But don't let Lowry fool you. Quietly, the Toronto point guard is putting up superb numbers that are usually produced by the likes of Harden, Westbrook, LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
After coming within two wins of the NBA Finals and winning gold in Rio over the summer, Lowry is playing the best basketball of his life. He is averaging a career-high 22.4 points and 5.0 rebounds. His 7.2 assists are a shade under his career high of 7.4. The only other guys to average 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds this season go by the names of Harden, Westbrook and James.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Lowry is attempting to duplicate something that has been done only once in NBA history, when Curry averaged 22 points and seven assists and shot 44 percent on 3s in 2014-15.
The Raptors point guard, who is third in Real Plus-Minus behind Chris Paul and Jimmy Butler, spoke to ESPN.com about losing to the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals, winning gold with Team USA, playing in the golden era of point guards and his impending free agency -- once he opts out.
Q: Your best shooting season as a starter was last season, at 42.7 percent and 38.8 percent from 3. This season, you have increased those numbers to 47.8 percent and 44.5 percent. What did you do differently?
A: With DeMar [DeRozan]'s scoring going up and being top-five in scoring [28.2 PPG], he takes a lot of attention off of me and is giving me more ability to use the pick-and-roll without being double-teamed and just going out there and playing the game. Our bigs have gotten a year older, being more comfortable screening and being more assertive. To me, it is about taking the right shot and the best shot that is available and not forcing anything.
Q: Is it just a matter of maturing and being in a comfortable place in your life at 30, or did you change anything in your training or add anything to your game?
A: I always try to continue to get better at shooting the ball and places where I am going to get good shots and working on that during the summertime, coming off screens a certain way knowing that I am going to get these certain type of shots. There is always that, in your summertime, in your work and preparation. Just going out there and understanding what is needed and where my shots are going to be and where they are going to come from and taking the right ones.
Q: Take me back to the night when you went back onto the Air Canada Centre court to get shots up after losing Game 1 in overtime in the 2016 Eastern Conference semifinals against Miami.
A: [I was] just frustrated with the shots that I felt like I was getting and I was missing. Man, if the cameras weren't there, no one would have known. I probably would have done it after upstairs [on the Raptors' practice court], but I'm sure other All-Star and starting guys do it and try to get themselves some rhythm. It was more a matter of going out there and like, 'OK, you are not playing well. What are you going to do?' What happens when you aren't playing that well? You go out and figure it out and make sure you get back to your techniques and make sure you are comfortable in doing what you do, no matter what.
Q: Did you tell yourself anything that night that stuck with you or clicked with your shot? You were struggling with your shot at that point [Lowry shot 27-for-107 from 3-point range in the Raptors' first 16 playoff games last postseason].
A: You just go out there and say things are going to happen and you are going to have to play well. At the end of the day, you are still winning [playoff] series and helping your team win games. That is all that matters to me. But of course, I want to play better. I want to be the best I can be out there. I want to be one of the best players on the floor. It is not going to happen all the time, but you can still go out there and be frustrated, but you still go to play the game. You figure it out. It is a matter of one or two shots that can change the complexion of the look. I didn't shoot the ball every game in the Miami series, but I shot the ball pretty well. Know what I mean? There were a couple of games where I did shoot the ball pretty well.
Q: What did leading the Toronto Raptors franchise to its first Eastern Conference finals do for you?
A: It was great. It gave us confidence to go out there and know we can play with one of the best teams out there in the world. We were able to take the eventual champion to Game 6 in the playoffs. Yeah, they beat us, and they beat us good, but it gave us that learning pedestal that we have to make sure that we know that, 'Look, it is going to happen. We can do it.' Now we got to get better and see how we can take the next step and continue to grow.
Q: How long did the loss to Cleveland stick with you?
A: It lasted a little bit, but I had to go and do the Olympics, so I had to get over it. I am glad I had a chance to get to play and do Rio. It didn't stick too long. I felt I had more to give, but I left it all out there. I definitely wanted to continue to get better. When you go out there and you feel like you have given your all and you have a little bit left in the tank but not a lot, you're happy with it. You want to get to the championship, you want to be in the Finals, so you just motivate yourself to get to the next level.
Q: You didn't get a chance to rest much. What was the USA Basketball experience like for you?
A: What Rio did for me was have me go back and literally play a different type of game. I don't think I was looking to score. I was trying to pass and have fun. I got a chance to be around those guys and sometimes be a leader, and to sacrifice your game shows what kind of player you actually are. I had to sacrifice my game for the better good of the team, which is fine with me. It's a maturity. It shows a guy that understands that you're not needed to score and need to play defense and change the pace. For me, it's a simple maturation of being able to go out there and not worry about anything but winning and helping my country get a gold medal.
Q: You have always carried yourself with a lot of swagger and believed in what you could do, maybe when others overlooked you or didn't see the same potential in you. Did playing for USA and winning gold give you even more swagger, and is that showing this season in your play?
A: I just felt like I was one of the better players out there, and I was able to, with a group of guys who respected what I did for the team and respected the situation we all were in. I think guys enjoyed playing with me, and it shows I can play with them, and I am one of the guys that won a gold medal, one of the better players in the country and the world. That definitely gives you confidence. You just got to go out there and keep working and getting better.
Q: In checking all the statistics on your season so far, one that really jumps out is the fact that only you, LeBron James, James Harden and Russell Westbrook are averaging 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds this season. What does it mean to be putting up numbers with that kind of company so far this season?
A: Well, those guys are putting up ridiculous numbers. Russ and LeBron do it every year, and what James is putting up ... Those guys are doing crazy things this year, and it's unbelievable to watch. But I don't mind flying under the radar. I know people always say, 'Why is Kyle this-or-that? Oh, he is overrated.' But I don't care. As long as my team wins games, who cares what people say? I like just being who I am. I like the situation I am in and just going out there and having fun. I'll get recognition from my peers. My peers and my teammates are the people that I feel like know the best. They are your competition. Your peers are the people you go against every night. They know what's what.
Q: What goes through your mind when you see the numbers point guards are putting up, especially Westbrook and Harden?
A: It's mind-blowing. It's mind-blowing. It's fun as a fan of the game and a student of the game to watch those guys just play and do the things that they are doing. I think James did it again, back-to-back 40 points with triple-doubles [recently]. It's unbelievable. You just watch and enjoy the moment right now. Especially going out there, every night playing against every point guard, it is unbelievable. It is really fun, understanding that there are no nights off, there is always someone coming at you at the point guard position. It is pretty cool right now to be in this age and era of basketball, especially for a point guard.
Q: I heard you recently flew all over North America, going from a game in Utah to Toronto to see your sons, Karter (5) and Kameron (1), for Christmas for less than 48 hours before flying to Portland to rejoin the Raptors. You often talk about your sons and the balance your family gives you. What kind of impact do they have on where you are today?
A: It's Christmas. I would never miss Christmas with my kids. If I don't have to, I am going to make sure -- if there is a way to get to my kids on Christmas, you have to. I think my family is one of the most important things in my life because they are the people I provide for and the people that believe in me the most. My family, my wife, my kids -- they love me no matter what is going on. That is the backbone. They are the people that really rely on you to be successful and work hard. You got to be Dad. It is a different world. My kids know who I am on the basketball court, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter about the basketball. I am their dad, and that is all that matters.
Q: You came from a rough neighborhood in Philadelphia, made it to the pros and had to wait until your fifth season to become a full-time starter. Do you feel like things are really falling into place in your life at 30?
A: I feel like the last couple of years, everything has been happening the right way mostly because I have done everything that I was supposed to be doing. Just be a professional, go out there and work every single night and be me and have fun and just provide. Have fun, be with your teammates and your family and not worry about anything but having fun and winning games. At this time of the year, at this point in my life, it is about continuing to try to grow as much as possible and winning. Winning at the highest level. Winning a ring would be the ultimate goal, the ultimate feel-good.
Q: After coming within two wins of the NBA Finals and winning gold with DeMar on Team USA, what will be different about the Raptors in the playoffs this year?
A: I think the difference with us this year going in is we are older. We are more experienced. We are a different team. We understand what we are going to do. We don't just rely on our offense. Our defense will have to do some things. We are all just more experienced. I think that is the one thing we can all say we have gotten better at.
Q: Most athletes feel that the only time they can be in full control of their situation is during free agency. What is your dream scenario this summer?
A: Just to make sure it is the right situation. That's all. That is all that matters to me. Winning. And making sure everyone is happy, I'm happy and making sure my family is happy.
Q: Do you want to stay in Toronto? Is that your first choice?
A: When the time comes, then I will worry about it. It definitely will be an option. It's definitely home. I have been given the keys to it, [and it's where] I have been most successful. When that time comes, I'll think about it, but for now I just want to keep winning and try to get to that next level and take it game by game and day by day.