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DENVER - Its been four years since the Raptors had a representative in the All-Star Game. DeMar DeRozan, a 20-year-old rookie at the time, remembers it well. "I was here when Chris Bosh was the last guy to go," said DeRozan, now 24 in his fifth NBA season, less than two hours after receiving the news. A first-time All-Star, DeRozan got the nod Thursday evening when the NBA named the Raptors guard to the Eastern Conference squad as a reserve. "I work extremely hard every off-season to try and be the best player that I can be," he said proudly. "Just to be a part of All-Star Weekend is something you dream of. I remember being a kid watching All-Star Weekend and wishing to be a part of it. To see your dreams come true definitely means a lot." DeRozan, the fourth ever Raptor selected to the midseason showcase, which will take place in New Orleans on Feb. 16, was hardly surprised to find out his selection had been made official. He had expected it. The texts from family and friends started to come in as the Raptors plane landed in Denver, shortly after the announcement had been made live on TNT. Houston Rockets All-Star guard James Harden called to congratulate him, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, also an Eastern reserve, sent a text. The first call he made was to his fiancé and his infant daughter back in Toronto. "That was cool," he said of what had to be a special moment. Its a moment, an achievement that didnt come overnight. Hes put in the work and his growth as a player, a leader and as a man reflects that. "Hes worked at it [and] he deserves it," said Dwane Casey, who has coached DeRozan in three of his five seasons. "Every year Ive been here he has improved. He has brought something new back after every summer. Im so happy and proud of him as a young man watching him grow." DeRozan, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, is 11th in the league in scoring, fourth in the East, and averaging career highs in points (21.8), rebounds (4.7) and assists (3.6). The Raptors iron man has missed the clubs previous two games with an ankle injury, but hes still only missed 10 contests in his career, with two full seasons under his belt. Since the trade of Rudy Gay, DeRozan has blossomed in his new role. DeRozan has recorded five or more assists in 12 of the 43 contests hes appeared in this season. He accomplished that feat 12 times all of last year and five times total in his first three seasons combined. He has already grabbed five or more rebounds 23 times this season, something he did in 19 games during the 2012-13 campaign. "Im so happy for him, man," said snubbed teammate Kyle Lowry. "It just shows the hard work that hes put in. Its great for our team, its great for the organization, its great for the city, its great for the country." Of course, the news wasnt entirely positive. Lowry, in the middle of a career season, was left off the All-Star roster. The 27-year-old point guard - widely considered to be the most notable name missing from the East team - stood in the lobby of the Raptors Denver hotel, looking ahead to his mid-Febrary vacation. He too was not surprised by the result of the voting and if he was disappointed by it, he didnt show it. "Im alright," said Lowry, averaging career-highs in points (16.8), assists (7.6) and three-point shooting (41 per cent) this season. "Ill be on a beach somewhere hanging out. Ill watch the All-Star game and cheer for (DeRozan)." Lowry is coming off of back-to-back 30-plus point games for the first time in his eight-year career, however both performances came after the coaches submitted their ballots for All-Star reserves on Sunday. Casey has spent the better part of the last month campaigning for both of his guards, hoping to get both voted in, but expecting to only get the one. Why was Lowry left out? Politics, most likely. He and DeRozan may have split votes from coaches who were only willing to vote for one Raptor. Coaches trying to get their own guy in - unable to vote for their own players, by rule - may have thrown their votes to others, less likely to make it. Then theres Lowrys reputation for being, well, prickly on occasion. However, the numbers speak for themselves, or at least they should have. Lowry leads the East in assists in January, averaging 8.3. Hes also hit more threes this month (49) than any player in the league, shooting them at a 46 per cent clip. Hes among the league-best in assist-to-turnover ratio and he has the second highest PER (player efficiency rating) of any guard in the conference. "I am disappointed for Kyle because he is playing like an All-Star," Casey said. "He is one of the best point guards in the league right now and hopefully this doesnt deter him from his continuing his journey to being the best in the league and proving people wrong." Instead, the Nets Joe Johnson made the cut. Johnson is averaging 15.7 points, his lowest mark since 2002-03, his second season in the league. Hes only the second All-Star voted in by the coaches with a below-average PER since 2003. "Im going to keep grinding no matter what, All-Star or not," Lowry said. "Im always going to work hard and continue to be the best player I can be to help my team win." "Honestly I didnt even worry about it," he continued. "We didnt get two, doesnt matter, we got one and thats a big statement for our team. [DeRozans] going to represent our team and hes going to represent us well." DeRozan joins Johnson, Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, Wall, the Indiana Pacers Roy Hibbert, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks Paul Millsap on the East squad, along with starters LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Heat, Indianas Paul George, Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers Kyrie Irving. Wholesale Puma Shoes Free Shipping . Simona Halep of Romania claimed the fifth title of her career by beating Samantha Stosur of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the womens final. After trading sets, Gasquet trailed 4-3 in the decider but broke back to 4-4 in a game that went to seven deuces with Kukushkin constantly failing on his forehand shots. Cheap Authentic Puma Shoes .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London. http://www.cheappumauk.com/. Yahoo! Sports columnist Marc Spears says that the Boogie Smooth album may have been an elaborate April Fools prank. Puma Shoes Uk Sale . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. Puma Shoes Uk Online .Cameron sustained his third concussion in three seasons last week on a hit by Oakland safety Brandion Ross, who was fined $22,050 by the NFL for the helmet-to-helmet blow.Columbus Blue Jackets - Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky skated with Blue Jackets on Thursday for the first time since suffering a fractured finger in practice on October 27. Team Twitter. - Forward Artem Anisimov also practiced without a no-contact jersey. - Team Twitter. Minnesota Wild - Placed forward Zach Parise on injured reserve with concussion to activate Jared Spurgeon. Parise can be activated at any time by the Wild. - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. - Called up defenceman Stu Bickel and forward Jordan Schroeder from AHL. - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. Toronto Maple Leafs - The injured trio of David Booth (foot), Joffrey Lupul (hand), and Brandon Kozun (ankle), all skated alongside healthy scratch, Matt Frattin. Booth and Lupul could rejoin the Leafs at some point in the next week or so. Kozun remains a ways away. - TSN. Colorado Avalanche - Nathan Mackinnon will centre the teams third line between Daniel Briere and Jamie McGinn, while John Mitchell will take MacKinnons spot on a line with Jarome Iginla and Gabriel Landeskog on Thursday night. - Denver Post. Calgary Flames - Forward Brandon Bollig is expected to be a healthy scratch against the Arizona Coyotes Thursday night. Bollig skated on an extra line in Wednesdays practice. - Calgary Herald. Anaheim Ducks - Corey Perry (mumps) skated on the ice prior to Ducks practice on Thursday. - Forward Kyle Palmieri was sent to the AHLs Norfolk Admirals for a conditioning stint. Palmieri has yet to play this season due to an ankle injury. - AHL. Vancouver Canucks - Recalled Bobby Sanguinetti from AHLs Comets. - Team Release. Buffalo Sabres - Defenceman Andre Benoit will return to the lineup Thursday night, while Josh Gorges is out with a lower-body injury. Gorges will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Buffalo.dddddddddddd - Buffalo News. - Forward Patrick Kaleta will make his 2014-15 debut on Thursday night. Kaleta was injured in the preseason when he was hit in the face by a puck. - Buffalo News. Detroit Red Wings - 2013 first-round pick Anthony Mantha will make his AHL debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday night. Mantha suffered a fractured tibia in September. - The Detroit News. - Pavel Datsyuk is likely to return to the lineup Friday, however the final decision will not be made until after Fridays morning skate. - MLive. - Stephen Weiss is expected to miss Fridays game and perhaps more with a groin injury. - The Detroit News. Tampa Bay Lightning - Forward Tyler Johnson skated with the team Thursday morning and is 50/50 to play in tonights game with an upper-body injury. - Tampa Tribune. - Ben Bishop starts in net against the San Jose Sharks. - Tampa Tribune. Boston Bruins - Recalled foward Alexander Khokhlachev on an emergency basis ahead of Thursdays game against the Montreal Canadiens. - Team Release. New York Rangers - Placed defenceman Mike Kostka on waivers. - NHL. St. Louis Blues - T.J. Oshie (concussion) could return to the lineup Thursday night, but is waiting on medical clearence. Oshie has skated the past five days with the Blues. - NHL.com. - Ryan Reaves will dress Thursday night after missing Tuesdays game with an ankle injury. - NHL.com. - Forward Dmitrij Jaskin assigned to AHL. - NHL.com. Dallas Stars - Ales Hemsky is projected to be a healthy scratch. - Dallas Morning News. Pittsburgh Penguins - Practice Lines: Forwards Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis Spaling-Malkin-Hornqvist Bennett-Sutter-Downie Comeau/Sill-Goc-Adams Defence Martin-Letang Ehrhoff-Bortuzzo Scuderi-Despres ' ' '