The Miami Heat announced that point guard Kyle Lowry will not be available for Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night due to a hamstring injury.
Lowry suffered the injury during the second quarter of Game 4 and momentarily left the game to be examined. While he returned in the second half, he did not play in the final nine minutes of Miami’s 116-108 loss to the Sixers, who evened the series at two games apiece.
“Put it this way, you don’t want to play with it,” Lowry said after the game, (h/t ESPN). “But we’re in a situation in the playoffs where we’re in a hostile environment, we’re in this together no matter what. Just trying to be out there for my guys, no matter what happens, no matter what the situation is.”
The 36-year-old posted just six points with seven assists and three rebounds on 3-of-10 shooting in Game 4.
It’s a frustrating turn for Lowry, who had missed four consecutive playoff games due to the very same injury. He made his return in Game 3 of the Heat’s second-round series against Philadelphia.
“I appreciate him. We all do,” Heat star Jimmy Butler said. “The fact that he wants to play, he wants to compete, he knows our best chance of winning is with him on the floor. We understand that, but we also want our guy to be safe, man. We always have more than enough to win. We always say that. We do believe that.”
The Heat is already dealing with an onslaught of injuries in their backcourt. Gabe Vincent and Tyler Herro are day-to-day. With Lowry out, Victor Oladipo will have to step up and pick up the slack.
