Candace Buckner

IndyStar

Anyone who knows Dwane Casey's story understands his bluegrass roots. Casey grew up in Kentucky, fell in love with the game there and even played and coached at the state's largest basketball sanctuary, the University of Kentucky.

But before Casey leads his Toronto Raptors into Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers tonight, he will feel a sense of home.

Strange? Not really.

"You know, I was born in Indianapolis," Casey said while leaning forward in his office chair.

Recently, Casey took a break from the pressure-cooker intensity of the playoffs and spent a few moments reflecting on his childhood and Indianapolis roots. Though Casey, 58, was raised in the border town Morganfield, Ky., his story began at Methodist Hospital (now named IU Health Methodist) and Central Avenue.

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Casey's parents were young when they had him and needed to work. So by the time Casey turned 4 or 5 – it was so long ago, the ages are blurry – he went to live with his grandparents in Morganfield.

"It was kind of unconventional," Casey said of his childhood, "but I thought I had a great upbringing with my grandparents."

His uncles in Morganfield were like older brothers and taught him basketball but as a child, Casey remained connected to his family in Indiana.

"I would go back in the summer time and on weekends," Casey recalled, the nostalgia evident in his voice. "I remember going up to visit my brothers and sisters up on Central Ave. and hanging out at Fall Creek throwing rocks in the creek. I remember that quite a bit when I was younger."

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The Casey siblings still reside in the city (Donnie and Nadine) and now when Dwane returns to Indianapolis he has a host of nephews, nieces and cousins – but family loyalty ends on the basketball court.

"Big Pacers fans. We fight all the time," Casey joked.

Casey doesn't count on having a pocket of Raptors fans inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse tonight. Even when he would bring back his team's gear as gifts, he noticed how family members still preferred the blue and gold.

"I think they’ll tell me they’re pulling for me but they’re so big Pacers fans," Casey said. "They say blood’s thicker than water but we’ll see."

Follow IndyStar reporter Candace Buckner on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.