The Miami Heat, despite entering the 2023 NBA playoffs as the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference, are now just one win away from a return trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, their third in four seasons. They protected homecourt against the New York Knicks, and they now own a commanding 3-1 series lead, and it's thanks in large part to the superstar exploits of Jimmy Butler. Butler, despite twisting his ankle in Game 1, had yet another stellar performance, dropping 27 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the way for the underdogs.
But as Butler would attest to, leading the Heat to victory doesn't fall solely on his shoulders. Basketball is a team sport after all, and his teammates played their roles to a T. One player in particular who has surpassed expectations during this playoff run thus far has been Kyle Lowry, the 37-year old veteran who's playing like he has a chip on his shoulder to prove that he's not yet an over-the-hill floor general.
And this has not gone unnoticed by Jimmy Butler. Following the Heat's Game 4 victory, Butler applauded Lowry for his strong effort off the Heat bench. The Heat star pointed out that beyond Lowry's contributions on the court, however, it's the intangibles he provides as a championship-winning point guard that elevates his impact on this squad that doesn't know when to quit.
“I think the world knows by now that I love that dude to death. He's a winner. He fits everything we're about here, he's so unselfish. Whatever you ask him to do, whether to start or come off the bench, it's gonna be really really effective because he's a champion and he's done it before. He knows what it takes to win. We want him to keep being that, keep smiling, and helping us win,” Butler said.
The Heat have stuck with Gabe Vincent as their starting point guard throughout this postseason, but it's Kyle Lowry who has, by and large, stepped up for them in the clutch alongside Butler. In Game 1, it was Lowry who made difficult shots to seal the Heat's victory after Jimmy Butler turned his ankle.
It may have been a rough last few months to the regular season for Lowry, but it's a testament to his ability to stay ready and remain composed in the biggest of moments that makes the Heat such a dangerous team.
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