Kyle Lowry was critically important in the Heat’s Game 3 win

The Heat’s point guard seemed to be several places at once on Saturday night, as he helped to orchestrate a gritty win for his team

Kyle Lowry was sensational in Game 3

While the headlines typically focused on Bam Adebayo after Saturday night’s game 3 win for the Heat, with his 31 points on an incredible 15-for-22 shooting, there was another Miami Heat player who put on a clinic and it wasn’t Jimmy Butler who the team lost at half time to knee soreness. If you’re wondering that player was Kyle Lowry and he was key in helping the Heat register what turned out to be a 109-103 win. Though he only posted 11 points on the night, it was what Lowry did on defense that ultimately put the nail in the coffin of the Celtics.

Indeed, with 48 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Lowry put in what could be considered the play of the game. Trailing by five points, the Celtics’ Grant Williams passed the ball in-bounds to Marcus Smart, but almost out of nowhere Lowry cut between them and managed to touch the ball away while simultaneously saving it from going out of bounds. The point guard then picked out teammate Max Strus who was cutting to the ring and and the latter obliged with a layup. Lowry’s satisfaction was evident as he screamed in celebration while Boston could only think to call a time-out.

It was Kyle Lowry’s game from the start

From the Heat’s very first possession in the game it was evident that Lowry was in the mood. After an offensive rebound he moved the ball to who thanked him by draining a three pointer. Then on the very next play, when the Celtics tried to isolate him with the sizable Al Forford, it was Lowry who picked the big man’s wallet to register his first steal of the night. It would be a sign of things to come. Just a few players later it was again Lowry with quick thinking as he set Jimmy Butler free for a layup along with a foul.

Boston’s head coach Ime Udoka would later describe Lowry saying he’s “the head of the snake” for Heat when it comes to controlling the pace of their game. “That’s what he does,” Udoka said. “We talked about that before the game. That’s the impact he has on the game.”

Kyle Lowry knows how to transition

It’s worth noting that this is nothing new when it comes to Lowry, It could in fact be said that across the entire season, he’s been the player at the center of creating transition opportunities for the Heat. The Celtics who are known for their half court defense are definitely finding that out the hard way. “They’re tall, they’re aggressive,” Lowry said. “But for me, it’s about the pace and getting us easy looks.”

In the 29 minutes that Lowry played - apparently he’s being eased into things following his return from a hamstring injury - it could be argued that his shooting has been below par, on the other hand the former NBA champion was definitely on hand to post some key points in Game 3. In particular there were two plays: his patented pull-up 3 going left followed by a key 3 when Marcus Smart had seemingly got the Celtics back into the game. “He’s special,” Strus said. “Obviously having him back helped, especially on a night where we lose J.B. So to have his leadership and playoff experience was huge for us to keep us grounded and keep everything positive throughout it all. He’s been in these moments plenty of time in his career, so to have him here with us is huge.”

The Kyle Lowry effect

Consider for a moment that we’re talking about a six time NBA All-Star here as well as an Olympic gold medalist. Yet it is perhaps what can be called the ‘dirty work’ where Lowry has excelled or what Heat coach Erik Spoelstra calls “the plays in between.” With a radar like precision and almost super human reaction Lowry often seems to sense when there is a need for innovation and ingenuity. Add to that his uncanny ability to profit off of loose balls and you’ve got a player who not only creates havoc for opposing offenses, but instantly builds the play for his own once he does.

The effect that Lowry had on Miami’s roster was self evident. It was clear that Boston opted to play tighter on Gabe Vincent - not without reason - which in turn allowed Lowry more freedom. The Celtics definitely paid for that decision. It should also be noted that was a team that lost their ‘playmaker’ in Butler at half time, which is to say they had to find alternate ways to put points on the board. As they now head to Game 4, the Celtics for their part will have to be factoring Lowry into their strategy, while the Heat will simply be asking for more of the same.