The Miami Heat will begin their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Boston Celtics without the services of starting point guard Kyle Lowry.
Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics reaches in to try to steal the ball from Jimmy Butler of the Heat. The Miami Heat will begin their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Boston Celtics without the services of starting point guard Kyle Lowry. However, the Celtics will also be shorthanded, with starters Marcus Smart — the Defensive Player of the Year — and Al Horford being listed as out for Game 1. Smart is dealing with a foot sprain he suffered in Game 7 against the Heat, while Al Horford has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The Celtics announced Marcus Smart and Al Horford are both out tonight. Horford is in the health and safety protocols, and Smart suffered a foot sprain in Game 7. Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 17, 2022
Lowry has played just five postseason games for the Heat due to a nagging hamstring injury. He initially suffered the injury against the Hawks in the first round and reaggravated it after returning to the lineup in Game 3 against the Sixers. Gabe Vincent is expected to draw the start with Lowry on the shelf again.
“I’d put it this way, you don’t want to play with it,” Lowry said during the second-round series against the Sixers.
