Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Love eager for chance to play alongside Lowry
MIAMI — Being in a hole has largely been the story of this uneven Miami Heat season.
Being whole is something that mostly has been an abstract, particularly since Feb. 2, Kyle Lowry’s last game before being sidelined by knee pain.
However, with Lowry regularly scrimmaging in recent days, an imminent return is expected, possibly in Saturday night’s road game against the Orlando Magic.
For Kevin Love, playing with Lowry is part of the reason that the Heat stood as such an attractive option on the buyout market, with Love to this point limited to starting games alongside fill-in starting point guard Gabe Vincent.
“Gabe, love how he plays, I love what he brings to the table,” Love said as the Heat turned their attention to Friday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami-Dade Arena, “and I think it’s a great blend and a great marriage with those two when they’re both within our lineup.
“But Kyle’s a Hall of Fame player. I mean, if he’s healthy, we know what he’s capable of. He makes great decisions, and he’s Kyle Lowry. You know what he brings to the table, like a multiple-time All-Star, All-NBA, can still get it done in year 17.”
Love said in the battle for playoff position, a full deck is the best means for the Heat to put their best hand into play.
“Again,” he said. “we’re better when, like the other night against Atlanta, when everybody’s adding stuff in the stat sheet, everybody is doing something that’s not in the stat sheet.”
Why 42?
Love explained that the reason he did not choose to continue to wear No. 0 with the Heat was because he wanted to keep his association with that number tied to his championship-winning tenure with the Cavaliers.
Previous Heat players to wear No. 0 were Mike Bibby, Toney Douglas, Josh Richardson, Meyers Leonard and Marcus Garrett, who is playing for the Heat’s G League affiliate. Two Heat players have worn No. 00: Milos Babic and Yante Maten.
Instead Love returned to No. 42, which he wore both at UCLA and during his initial NBA tenure, with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Previous Heat players to wear No. 42 were Pat Cummings, Kevin Willis, Walt Williams, P.J. Brown, James Posey, Shavlik Randolph and Jerry Stackhouse.
The two-game series against the Cavaliers provided Love a forum to discuss his departure from the Cavaliers and to make clear it was nothing personal with coach J.B. Bickerstaff or Cleveland’s front office.
“Unhappy? I think I was more frustrated in that I just wanted to play,” he said in the Heat locker room. “I felt like I could still offer a lot, and I think for the bench down there, it’s been up and down for them. So, I felt like if I was given another opportunity, I could make an impact. Being angry, being frustrated, that sort of thing, it’s not me being pissed at the front office or J.B. or anybody like that. It was more so I still think I could play. I think it was me having pride in that and just wanting to be out there with those guys. I guess that wasn’t in the cards, and I don’t know if it was going to be.”
He said the Heat have eased his transition.
“I will say it is tough, like after 8 ½ years, like moving in the middle of the season and still living out of a hotel,” he said. “But I gotta say, like in terms of welcoming me with open arms and a class organization, the Miami Heat have been just unbelievable.”
Robinson ailing
Duncan Robinson was added to the Heat’s injury report at midday Friday, listed as out due to illness.
Robinson was held out of Wednesday night’s loss to Cavaliers by coach’s decision, for the fourth time in six games, after scoring 14 points in Monday night’s victory over Atlanta.
It has been an uneven season for the fifth-year guard, who was sidelined from Jan. 2 to Feb. 15 by finger surgery.
Also listed as out for Friday were Lowry and rookie big man Nikola Jovic, who remains with the Heat’s G League affiliate.