Lowry sits as part of Heat’s cautious approach
The Miami Heat’s longterm plan for veteran point guard Kyle Lowry still needs to be worked out, but the team’s shortterm plan for him is clear.
Play him off the bench for about 20 minutes per game as he regains his rhythm and conditioning after missing 15 straight games because of left knee soreness. This reduced role is designed to keep Lowry, who turns 37 on Saturday, healthy and fresh after dealing with lingering pain in his knee for most of the season.
“He’s savvy enough that you can throw him in any kind of role and he’ll figure it out,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Saturday night’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls at United Center to open a quick but important two-game trip. “And I don’t say that lightly because, look, we’re trying to figure this out and it’s really more of a health issue than it is a performance issue or even strategy concern. We want to make sure he continues to feel good and then we can hopefully scale more minutes.”
The Heat’s cautious approach continued Saturday when it held Lowry out on the front end of the back-to-back set in Chicago, but he’s expected to play on Sunday against the Pistons in Detroit. The Heat has two back-tobacks remaining on its regular-season schedule following this one.
Lowry said he has been “very involved” in creating this plan and is on the same page with the Heat.
“I’m just getting myself healthy and getting myself in shape and in rhythm,” Lowry said. “I’m doing whatever it takes to help the team win basketball games right now.”
But there’s no denying that this has required an adjustment from Lowry, who started in his first 44 appearances of the season before moving to the bench when he returned from injury one week ago. In fact, Lowry had started in 677 straight appearances
Zeller also broke his nose in October 2021 as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Heat was also without Jamal Cain, Nikola Jovic and Orlando Robinson on Saturday. All three are currently playing with the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Because of a conflict with the Miami Hurricanes’
Amen’s basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday’s HeatPistons radio broadcast can be heard on 96.5 FM and that station’s HD signal instead of on 560 WQAM.
Anthony Chiang: 305-376-4991, @Anthony_Chiang
of the top hitters in Cuba’s lineup, posting a .421 batting average with a 1.259 on-base-plus-slugging, one home run, three doubles, five RBI, four walks and three runs scored in five games.
Four other regulars in Cuba’s lineup are hitting at least .400 — outfielder Roel Santos (.429), designated hitter Alfredo Despaigne (.412), first baseman Yadir Drake (.412) and infielder Yadil Mujica (.400).
Yariel Rodriguez has led the pitching staff, giving up just two runs through 7 1⁄3 innings in his two starts.
CUBA IN WBC
Cuba has participated in every iteration of the World Baseball Classic. It was the runner-up to Japan in the inaugural tournament in 2006 and lost in the second round of the other three tournaments, held in 2009, 2013 and 2017.