Lowry sidelined again for Sixers-Heat Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
MIAMI — Kyle Lowry’s left hamstring strain will sideline him for Tuesday night’s Game 5 against the Sixers.
The six-time All-Star returned after a four-game absence to play two straight contests in his hometown of Philadelphia. Neither outing went well. Lowry scored six total points on 3-for-14 shooting and missed all eight of his three-point tries as the Sixers tied their second-round series with the Heat at two games apiece.
Lowry, who turned 36 years old in March, moved from Toronto to Miami in a trade this offseason. He was first involved in an NBA trade back in 2009 when current Sixers president basketball of operations Daryl Morey brought him to the Rockets.
Lowry was frustrated at times during the Heat’s Game 4 loss Sunday and clearly not playing at his healthiest.
“I’m sure it affects him,” Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday shortly before Miami announced Lowry was out and ahead of the Sixers’ shootaround at FTX Arena. “I don’t know how much, but I can’t imagine having a hamstring (injury) and playing with it… it has to. Even if it’s not visible, it’s absolutely a mental thing. There’s no doubt about that.”
Gabe Vincent started for Miami in Games 1 and 2. He played 10 minutes off the bench Sunday.
Dewayne Dedmon was out for Game 4 with an illness and Spoelstra called the backup big man “day to day” pregame. The Heat played small ball more without him and gave Markieff Morris a second-half stint after PJ Tucker got into foul trouble.
Including Dedmon, the Heat listed six players as questionable. The Sixers had two in Joel Embiid and Isaiah Joe (right ankle sprain), though it certainly does not appear Embiid’s status is shaky for Game 4. After he was sidelined to start this series following a right orbital fracture and concussion, the Sixers are obviously pleased to have Embiid in Miami this time around.
Georges Niang plans to keep playing on an injured left knee. The 28-year-old forward played a team-high 76 games and a career-high 22.8 minutes per night, but he missed the final two games of the regular season with left patella tendinopathy.
“Obviously it’s just something that we’ve been addressing since the end of the year and pushing through,” Niang said Tuesday. “It’s the playoffs. Joel’s playing with a broken face and a thumb (injury). So if I’m going to complain about a knee, I don’t have any place to be in court, that’s for sure. I’m taking it day by day and pushing through it.”