As the Miami Heat prepare to take on the Orlando Magic Sunday night, usual starting point guard Kyle Lowry will come off the bench for the second straight game. There were rumblings about the benching being an internal matter and situation, but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says it is not about the player, but about reaching a “higher level” according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.

The Heat are currently in the second half of the season and have not been a stranger to trying different lineups and rotations throughout the year. At the moment, Miami has brought out over 20 different starting lineups this season.

Spoelstra said the move to the bench isn't a “indictment” on Lowry. It is more about that he feels the team is “not where we want it to be” past the first half of the 2023-2024 season. Lowry has been averaging 8.4 points, four assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game.

“I'll do whatever we feel that we have to do in the second half of the season. We are not where we want it to be. That's not an indictment of one player,” Spoelstra said. “Combinations do matter. Rotations do matter. Lineups that bring out the best in each other do matter. And I'm still in the process of trying to help the team figure it out.”

Lowry was hoping the benching was a “one game thing”

Heat, Kyle Lowry

Lowry came off the bench in last Friday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks which ended up being a bittersweet night as they also retired the jersey and number of long-time captain Udonis Haslem. After the game, the 37-year old said that Spoelstra “wanted to see something different” and he hopes it is only a “one game thing” according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

“Spo wanted to see something different, wanted to have me come off the bench,” Lowry said. “Hopefully it was a one game thing for me and I can get back in the starting lineup and continue to do what I’ve done this year.”

After the Hawks game, Spoelstra was asked if the benching of Lowry was a “lineup change or an administrative internal team matter.” It prompted the head coach to say that with rookie sensation Jaime Jaquez Jr. out, there are “moving parts” with the lineup.

“With Jaime out, there are some moving parts with this. I'm not going to be just experimenting the second round, this is about winning right now,” Spoelstra said. “But combinations and lineups do matter and having Kyle kind of anchor that second unit while Jaime is out, I think it's important. And also, that starting group that can be dynamic. You know, I think this is a small sample size, but we'll just see, we'll do whatever we have to do in the second half of the season.”

The Heat will play the Magic Sunday night as they are on a two-game losing streak, both to losing teams. They are 24-18 on the season which puts them at sixth in the Eastern Conference.