The change made by Heat’s Lowry and his explanation. And Spoelstra addresses Oladipo
Kyle Lowry is doing everything necessary to help lead the Heat to the top tier of the Eastern Conference.
But that “everything necessary” doesn’t include volume scoring. His Heat formula so far, with everyone’s blessing, has entailed fewer points but more assists.
By design, Lowry is shooting less frequently than any time in the past nine years. But he’s also dishing out more assists than any time (except once) during that nine-season stretch.
His 13 points-per-game average is down from 19.4 and 17.2 with Toronto the past two seasons and his lowest since averaging 11.6 in 2012-13.
He’s attempting 10.3 shots per game, down from 13.0 last season and his lowest total since 2012-13.
He’s shooting 6.0 three-pointers per game, down from 8.0 and 7.2 the past two seasons.
But while the scoring is down, the assists are up — to 8.0, which is sixth in the league, the second-highest figure of his career and well above his 6.3 career average.
So what has Lowry’s thinking been in his slightly altered approach?
“Just making sure my guys are getting comfortable and understanding we need everybody to win,” Lowry said after the team’s Thursday morning shootaround at Spectrum Center, hours before the Heat’s game at Charlotte.
“We don’t just need me to shoot whenever. I could go out and shoot if I wanted to. But I just want to make sure we have the confidence in each other and our group to make sure everybody is going to be successful in whatever we do.
“For me, it’s about understanding the time, score, who we’re playing with and who’s on my team.”
In six games since returning from a nine-game absence due to a family matter, Lowry has attempted double figures in shots only once.
For perspective, in Toronto, there were only four games all of last season when he didn’t attempt at least 10 shots.
Has Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo or anybody with the team encouraged him to shoot more?
“They want me to and when the time is right I will do it,” said Lowry, who’s shooting 42 percent from the field and 34.4 percent on threes.
“There might be games I shoot more. But for now, my job and my role is to make sure that us as group, we’re all on the same page and sacrificing.”
He entered Thursday’s game in Charlotte 38th in the league in plus/minus, with the Heat having outscored teams by 186 points when he’s on the court. Among Heat players, only PJ Tucker (plus 188) has a better plus minus.
Lowry also leads the league in charges drawn.
“He’s definitely one of the more brilliant basketball minds that I’ve been around, but not only that, he actually cares about people,” Butler said in a piece with Dime Magazine’s Katie Heindl. “Not just on his team. All across the world, across the league, the fans. Every single day he comes in, works hard, tries to uplift everybody else. But more than anything he just tries to win.”
OLADIPO UPDATE
Spoelstra did not offer a timetable on the expected return of guard Victor Oladipo, who is spending several days practicing with the Heat’s G League team in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. But Spoelstra said his return is not imminent.
Oladipo, 29, is participating in fullcourt 5-on-5 sessions for the first time since his May 13 surgery to repair his right quad tendon. He had participated in 2-on-2 halfcourt sessions after practice and before games with the Heat.
“It made great sense to send him there and have a 5-on-5 practice,” Spoelstra said. “We did not practice yesterday. This was planned for the last 10 days or so. [He] was able to get up and down and scrimmage... and live competition. And that’s just part of the process. There is no imminent date or announcement.”
Oladipo, who won’t play in any games for Sioux Falls, was accompanied there by Heat assistant trainer Brandon Gilliam and Heat assistant strength coach Hunter Glascock.
Also out for the Heat on Thursday in Charlotte, besides Oladipo: Tyler Herro (knee contusion), Dwayne Dedmon (back spasms) and Markieff Morris, whom the Heat is not comfortable playing in a game, at this time, because of a medical issue.
Butler, who was listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, is expected to play. Caleb Martin (Achilles soreness) remains questionable and said he’s not certain if he will play Thursday. But Martin reiterated the injury is not serious.
SMART UPDATE
Jevonte Smart, the undrafted rookie guard from LSU who has been on an offensive roll in the G League, did not accompany the Heat to Charlotte after signing a two-way contract because the team wants him in Sioux Falls for now.
Smart, 22, has been on an offensive tear, averaging 23.4 points while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 34.7 percent on threes, 4.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 12 games with the Skyforce this season.
He scored 40 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field and 8-of-13 shooting on threes in Tuesday’s win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
“We liked what he showed in summer league, getting in great shape,” Spoelstra said Thursday.
“He had a great preseason, training camp for us. Started off strong in Sioux Falls, earned a two way with Milwaukee. We didn’t necessarily know if we would ever see him again. But there have been so many moving parts this year. We’ve been able to get him back in the program.
“We all have noticed he’s been playing terrific basketball. It’s not just his scoring; it’s his impact on winning. He’s really starting to understand that more.”
Smart spent summer league and training camp with the Heat, moved over to Sioux Falls and then signed a two-way contract with Milwaukee on Nov. 30, and averaged 2.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 13 games for the Bucks, averaging 12.3 minutes in those games.
Milwaukee released him on Jan. 13, and he rejoined Sioux Falls.
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 12:48 PM.
