Injured Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry is close to returning to the active list and the team’s coach — who said last week he would “cross that London Bridge when he came to it” — will have a difficult decision to make.

The Raptors won five of the first six games Lowry missed and took a season-high five-game winning streak into a matchup with the Spurs here Wednesday night.

And because of the leadership shown by veteran Jose Calderon, Lowry will come off the bench whenever he gets back.

“Jose has earned the position,” Casey said before the game. “Jose has played as well as any point guard we’ve had this year so that’s where it is right now.

“We’ll see in the next couple of days but right now Jose is the starting point guard and has done a solid job of running the team, building trust, directing the young guys, making sure they’re in the right place.”

via Doug Smith of the Toronto Star