Miami Heat Surviving Despite The Absence and Importance of Kyle Lowry
Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry has been away from the team for two weeks and will miss his sixth straight game Saturday against the Toronto Raptors due to personal reasons.
The Heat have accepted his absence and have handled it the best way possible. This season, Lowry is averaging 13.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.3 rebounds while shooting 41.7 percent.
“It’s always really important to realize basketball is second, third or around there in people’s list of importance," said Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who scored a team-high 26 points in Friday's win against the Los Angeles Clippers. "You always have to make sure your family is good and you’re good. It just feels good to know that we have guys that can fill in to do what Kyle does for us. I miss him. We all miss him. We want him and his family to be okay.”
Heat center Bam Adebayo echoed Butler comments in regards to Lowry being sidelined, stating it makes it easier knowing they are winning. It makes it easier so he can focus on his personal dealings with his family.
“It definitely makes it easier on Kyle to know that we are winning," Adebayo said. "He has his time to focus on his personal reasonings and he can take his time.”
Without Lowry, the Heat have won eight of the last 10 games and hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Landon Buford is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at landon.buford@att.net
