Don’t rely on Kyle Lowry to protect themselves in the heart of the storm. The cascade of injuries that the Heat are going through is hurting Erik Spoelstra, who has to rack his brains to find solutions with able-bodied players.
Tonight in Washington, it will be Max Strus’ turn to miss the call, hit in the shoulder. Kyle Lowry therefore risks having to multiply again, he who has chained extended matches in recent days, between his 51 minutes played in the defeat in Washington in overtime or his exit at 44 minutes in the second match of a back-to -back on the Wolves floor. The veteran leader does not spare himself, even to the point of being the Miami player who plays the most this season: more than 36 minutes per game!
“I can’t say enough about Kyle Lowry and that’s why he has this reputation as a winner. He also deals with his issues, but he says, ‘I’m available, Coach. For whatever you want from me. If you need me to play 48 minutes, I will play 48 minutes’”, likes Erik Spoelstra on the sidelines of tonight’s meeting.
The definition of a professional
In this crisis situation, which forced the coach to suggest to his injured players to return prematurely, Kyle Lowry played his role as a veteran and a leader by setting an example.
“It’s about playing basketball and doing my job at the highest level possible. I don’t know how long I can play basketball. I want to play. I still love it and have fun doing it,” he confided.
For now, despite everyone’s efforts to try to compensate for absences, Miami remains on four straight setbacks in this perilous “road trip”. Inevitably, Kyle Lowry no longer has his 20-year-old legs and he is struggling in attack, with 30% success. But his impeccable attitude can only be praised by his teammates.
“He is a true professional”recognized Bam Adebayo, another resistant called to play more in these conditions. “I feel like that’s the definition of Kyle, able to play despite some injuries, at his age, playing back-to-back. I respect that. That says a lot about his character and what he stands for. Even if guys are injured, he still wants to go on the field, perform and try to win us.
This evening again for the reception of Washington, Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, Udonis Haslem, Omer Yurtseven are already forfeited.
| Kyle Lowry | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2006-07 | SAME | 10 | 18 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 89.3 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 5.6 |
| 2007-08 | SAME | 82 | 26 | 43.2 | 25.7 | 69.8 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 9.7 |
| 2008-09* | All Teams | 77 | 22 | 43.5 | 25.5 | 80.1 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 7.6 |
| 2008-09* | SAME | 49 | 22 | 41.2 | 24.6 | 80.1 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 7.6 |
| 2008-09* | HOO | 28 | 22 | 47.5 | 27.6 | 80.0 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 7.6 |
| 2009-10 | HOO | 68 | 24 | 39.7 | 27.2 | 82.7 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 9.1 |
| 2010-11 | HOO | 75 | 34 | 42.6 | 37.6 | 76.5 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 6.7 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 13.5 |
| 2011-12 | HOO | 47 | 32 | 40.9 | 37.4 | 86.4 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 14.3 |
| 2012-13 | TOR | 68 | 30 | 40.1 | 36.2 | 79.5 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 11.6 |
| 2013-14 | TOR | 79 | 36 | 42.3 | 38.0 | 81.3 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 7.4 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 17.9 |
| 2014-15 | TOR | 70 | 35 | 41.2 | 33.8 | 80.8 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 17.8 |
| 2015-16 | TOR | 77 | 37 | 42.7 | 38.8 | 81.1 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 21.2 |
| 2016-17 | TOR | 60 | 37 | 46.4 | 41.2 | 81.9 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.0 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 22.4 |
| 2017-18 | TOR | 78 | 32 | 42.7 | 39.9 | 85.4 | 0.9 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 16.2 |
| 2018-19 | TOR | 65 | 34 | 41.1 | 34.7 | 83.0 | 0.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 8.7 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 14.3 |
| 2019-20 | TOR | 58 | 36 | 41.6 | 35.2 | 85.7 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 7.5 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 19.4 |
| 2020-21 | TOR | 46 | 35 | 43.6 | 39.6 | 87.5 | 0.8 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 7.4 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 17.2 |
| 2021-22 | MIA | 63 | 34 | 44.0 | 37.7 | 85.1 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 13.4 |
| 2022-23 | MIA | 18 | 36 | 38.8 | 35.0 | 82.7 | 0.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 6.1 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 14.3 |
| Total | 1041 | 32 | 42.4 | 36.8 | 81.4 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 6.3 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 14.8 | |
