The Miami Heat have lost their lead for the first time in their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Boston Celtics, and Kyle Lowry and Max Strus certainly didn't give the team a chance to fight for it.
Boston won Game 5 in convincing fashion, 93-80. They led by as much as 23 points after an ugly start to the contest that saw them trail by five points at the half.
However, more than the Celtics' third quarter surge, the biggest story of the game was Lowry and Strus' performance. The two started for the Heat, and they basically laid an egg with a historically bad performance. The two combined for 0-of-15 shooting from the field, which is the worst zero field-goal game in playoff history, per ESPN Stats and Info.
Kyle Lowry and Max Strus went a combined 0-15 in Game 5.
According to @EliasSports, that's the worst 0-fer for a starting backcourt in playoff game since starters were officially tracked in 1970-71. pic.twitter.com/PiGKhQQAA3
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 26, 2022
While it is already a painful result, the fact of the matter is Kyle Lowry and Max Strus have been playing so poorly for the Heat since Game 4. After all, the two combined for just one field goal made in the previous outing as well. That means they are now 1-of-28 from the field combined in the last two matches.
As much as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo play well, they won't be able to win if their backcourt is not functioning well.
The Heat still have a chance in Game 6, but they certainly cannot afford another 0-point game from their guards. If it happens again, the Celtics are more than likely to have an easy time come Friday.
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