Kyle Lowry is a vital part of the Toronto Raptors offense, so it's undoubtedly a huge blow to the team that he won't be available to play when they take on the Miami Heat.

According to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, Kyle Lowry is suffering from a back issue which forced the Raptors to sideline him against the Heat at the AmericanAirlines Arena.

Lowry has been nothing short of reliable for the Raptors this season. He's averaging 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.

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Though he is scoring his second-lowest mark in his seven seasons with Toronto, Lowry doesn't really need to produce big numbers to impact the game. The addition of Kawhi Leonard to the team this offseason has changed and improved the Raptors for good, and newly hired head coach Nick Nurse has let Lowry become a full-time playmaker.

His usage percentage of 19.5 is the lowest in nine seasons. Lowry oftentimes is burnt out by the end of the season because of all the minutes and the offensive load he has had to carry for the Raptors. However, with Nurse utilizing him more as a ball-handler rather than the primary offensive weapon, it has afforded Lowry to rest and prepare for a long and grueling season.

The Raptors are 25-10 this year and are first in the NBA and in the Eastern Conference.