Prior to their 117-109 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra only stoked the flames of speculation surrounding the health status of veteran guard Kyle Lowry.
When asked whether Lowry would return by the end of the season– given that the Heat only have 17 games remaining on their schedule –Spoelstra was tight-lipped. The revered head coach would only reveal that Lowry wouldn't play against the Hawks, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Lowry has been out since Feb. 2 as he rehabilitates a knee injury, with the Heat going 5-7 in his absence.
Though the symptoms of Lowry's injury have been described as left knee soreness, that doesn't mean that there isn't a serious issue. After all, Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball left the last game he played in with what was originally described as knee soreness and hasn't played a game since Jan. 2022.
Although the extent of Lowry's injury doesn't appear to be as serious, there are interesting parallels to Ball that highlight the potential significance of it, such as the lack of a timetable for his return.
Nonetheless, with the Heat have a sub-.500 record without Lowry on the court, it appears that they do indeed need the six-time All-Star. Though he has struggled to score, shooting just 39.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range, his ability to run the offense separates him from the rest of the guards on the roster.
Miami is just 3.5 games from missing both the playoffs and play-in tournament, so every game will have a postseason feel to it for the Heat from here on out. Lowry's health could determine whether they stay afloat or not.
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