Kyle Lowry and Victor Oladipo back for Heat vs. Rockets. Oladipo on minutes restriction
The Miami Heat’s roster is receiving a major boost with just about one month left in the regular season.
Victor Oladipo has been cleared to make his season debut and Kyle Lowry will make his return in Monday night’s game against the Houston Rockets at FTX Arena.
Lowry, 35, missed the last four games because of the same personal reasons that kept him out for nine straight games over two weeks from Jan. 17 through Feb. 1.
Lowry, who has been away from the team, rejoined the Heat in Miami on Monday. The Heat posted a 3-1 record during the four games Lowry missed last week, as Gabe Vincent started in his place at point guard.
Oladipo, who has yet to play this season after undergoing surgery to repair the quadriceps tendon in his right knee last May, will be on a “strict” 15-minute restriction in his season debut, according to coach Erik Spoelstra.
Oladipo, 29, has been working behind the scenes for months toward his season debut. He was also sent to the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, twice in recent weeks for five-on-five practice work.
Oladipo was acquired by the Heat in a trade with the Rockets last March. He played in just four games with Miami last season before feeling discomfort in his right knee and eventually undergoing surgery.
With Oladipo splitting last season among the Indiana Pacers, Rockets and Heat, he averaged 19.8 points while shooting 40.8 percent from the field and 32.6 percent on threes, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 33 games (33 starts).
While there are questions regarding Oladipo’s injury history and what type of player he will be when he returns, adding him into the mix lifts the Heat’s ceiling because he has proven to be one of the NBA’s top two-way players when healthy. He was voted to the All-Star Game, NBA All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Third Team and earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2017-18 as a member of the Pacers.
“I’m mean, you’re bringing an All-Star back,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said of Oladipo in advance of Monday’s game. “And in my opinion, once he gets his groove back, he could be that version of Oladipo he was when he was in Indiana. I feel like people forget Oladipo because he’s been hurt that long. So we get that version of Victor back, him being in this culture with his hard-working work ethic and getting your body to be the best of his ability, I feel like you’re adding that to like a high-caliber team.”
Adebayo believes Oladipo can help most on “defense” and “in transition.”
“I mean his quickness and athleticism is off the charts, obviously,” Adebayo said. “I feel like those are the two biggest things in my eyes that I see Victor can help us with.”
With Lowry and Oladipo back on Monday, the Heat’s rotation is as crowded as it has been this season. Caleb Martin, who was listed as questionable for Monday’s contest because of left Achilles soreness, will also play.
Miami will have 15 players available against the Rockets, with Markieff Morris (return to competition reconditioning) and Javonte Smart (G League) as the only Heat players who have been ruled out for the game.
This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 1:20 PM.
