Kyle Lowry’s sudden exit due to an injury didn’t stop the Miami Heat from securing a win against the Houston Rockets with a 120-113 score on Monday night’s NBA action. Lowry, who sprained his left hand, left the game abruptly, leading to a brief moment where Miami played with a one-player disadvantage.
Despite this setback, the Heat maintained control throughout the game. Tyler Herro scored 28 points, followed by Bam Adebayo, who had a solid second half, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Erik Spoelstra, the Heat’s coach, commended Lowry’s toughness, noting his return to the bench to witness the team’s victory.
“The Philly guy in him right now is saying ‘I’ll be all right,’” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Lowry. “He’s as tough as you can be in this league. He’s played through more things than probably anybody currently playing in this association.”
Kevin Love contributed 15 points, while Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. each added 14 points for Miami. Josh Richardson also chipped in with 12 points. This victory positioned the Heat at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference, with Orlando, Indiana, Cleveland, and New York closely following, all holding an identical 21-15 record.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyle Lowry, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets Updates
Fred VanVleet was the game’s top scorer with 32 points for the Rockets, who began a six-game road trip. Alperen Sengun and Cam Whitmore each made significant contributions for Houston, but they missed Dillon Brooks due to injury.
The Heat, also dealing with the absence of Jimmy Butler due to a toe injury, have shown resilience, winning six of the eight games without him. Lowry’s injury occurred while defending a layup by his former Toronto teammate, VanVleet.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyle Lowry, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets Updates
The Rockets’ current season record shows improvement compared to their performance in the last three seasons, standing at 18-17 through 35 games. Rockets coach Ime Udoka recognized the team’s competitive spirit and potential.
“For me, not surprised or happy,” Udoka said. “They bought in from Day 1, and once you see the competitive side, the mindset, you know you have the right guys there. We had five or six games that we could have flipped the other way.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyle Lowry, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets Updates
The game was closely contested in the first half, but the Heat never trailed in the second half and eventually extended their lead to 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead, the Rockets will face the Chicago Bulls, while the Heat will host the Oklahoma City Thunder in their next games.
