The Miami Heat’s most recent game, against the Portland Trail Blazers this past Wednesday, was an eventful one. That’s even outside of how eventful this latest series of games have been, specifically with the many different new faces and scenarios brought on by their COVID and injury situation.
Typically, the Miami Heat don’t go for the antics that are about to be described in the following but this guy has displayed such culture since his arrival to the team and in the league.
That’s so much so the case that, not only, was he always seemingly meant to be a Miami Heat player but you can kind of tolerate these things from him.
However, even in his case and with as much as he has seen himself complaining lately, it was bound to happen. Yes, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, we’re talking about Kyle Lowry.
As for the incident with the referee in Wednesday’s game, it was one that you can see coming from a mile away. Having complained to many officials throughout the season thus far, Lowry had been itching for a call of this nature.
On this night, it just so happened to be the right concoction for combustion.
Miami Heat: On Kyle Lowry’s Ejection And Why He Has To Know Better
It was one that saw Lowry complaining early, only to receive a technical foul call, and then proceeding to deliver the ball to a rookie official after a call in a way that was determined to be the wrong way.
The fact of the matter is this though. What Lowry did at that moment didn’t escalate to the point of warranting an ejection in itself, the particular action that actually got him ejected.
However, it was, in fact, a cumulative call. Based on what had happened earlier in the contest between the two parties, the referee and the player, combined with the other factors mentioned above— it almost works out as a law of averages.
When you look at a shooter like Duncan Robinson, he will eventually return to the norm. That would be him hitting shots or, at least, that’s what one would expect.
With Lowry, the norm is him being able to get away with that because of his established stature in the league and prior relationships with officials. To double down on the notion, throughout his career and for the most part this season, he has done exactly that— get away with it.
Miami Heat: Kyle Lowry Had An ‘Off Night’, Every Official Won’t Deal With Antics
This incident was his off night, relative to the example painted by Robinson’s shooting, where his missing shots was him being penalized for his actions.
It happens and Lowry should know how this goes.
He’s been going really hard all year long on the officiating, which could be merited based on the fact that he hasn’t gotten a ton of calls and that they are calling things differently (inconsistently) in an effort to alleviate so much floppy stuff.
So, no, he didn’t deserve to be ejected based on what it was that he had done in that exact moment.
However, he did deserve it based on the fact that he has been badgering refs all year, he had already received that technical earlier in the night on a quick whistle, and should have known, at that point, whom or what he was dealing with in the young referee.
Most importantly in it all, Lowry has to know that he is the lone star. Jimmy Butler didn’t play after injuring his ankle again in Golden State, while Bam Adebayo has yet to return after thumb surgery.
You don’t hold it over Lowry either though. He has been an absolute jolt for his team and you know a smart, savvy, All-Star-type veteran, like himself, will learn from this one.