There’s a strong contrast between the Miami Heat’s last two outcomes, appearing spiritless against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, but coming back uber-competitive on Wednesday versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
Miami defeated the defending NBA champions, 113-104, to gain a 2-1 advantage in their regular-season series.
Overcoming a frantic first half, the Heat committed 17 turnovers, resulting in a seven-point halftime deficit.
Their supporting cast would elevate their play with the absences of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, while a timely, yet vintage performance from their starting floor general, Kyle Lowry, was needed.
Lowry erupted for 18 of his 22 points in the final 24 minutes of play and after scoring just four points on 2-of-8 field goals prior. More importantly, Lowry was able to settle the offense and control the pace (106.12 in the first half; 95.75 in the second) while also committing just one turnover.
That’s after having six in the first half. He had to have that splendid second half though.
With the Heat currently known for being one of the oldest teams in the NBA, they’ve had to depend on Lowry but also the lower-end of their rotational depth, as they’ve seen their fourth different starting lineup in six games.