Kyle Lowry is the driving force the Heat need for playoff push

The Miami Heat are currently first in the Eastern Conference and have a favorable home stretch coming up. Can they sustain this level of success for the remainder of the season?

Synergy is a term that comes to mind when a fully healthy Miami Heat team hits the floor. It’s undeniable. In their short time together, this unit has found success when everyone’s role is defined. Kyle Lowry’s addition and comeback after missing nine games due to personal reasons have been a key to the team’s offensive boost.

Kyle Lowry is the driving force the Heat need for playoff push

His comeback has helped push the pace, control the defense, and assist Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo’s recent aggressive push. In Adebayo’s last 4 games, he has averaged 22.8 points per game along with 10.3 rebounds. He has also scrapped defensively, averaging 2.5 steals per game. They are 3-1 in those games. 3-0 with Kyle Lowry back.

The second unit has also surpassed its laid-out limited expectations. They found success with different lineups so far, something that most teams in the league haven’t been able to do with their role players.

They had a limited selection of developments players, but Miami has definitely made it work, and a lot of credit definitely goes to the recently named top 15 coach of all time, Erik Spoelstra.

Now with 90 percent of the roster back to full health, their sights are set on finishing the season strong. Lowry will have to be a major factor moving forward to keep this momentum intact.

Even though his averages in his three games back haven’t screamed All-Star-caliber, it’s the little things that are already making a difference. Averaging 7.3 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, he has directed traffic well, opening up key spots for wing shooters and allowing Butler to do what he does best.

"“I’m not a scorer anymore. I’m more of a facilitating guard, and I like it that way. I love it that way because we got a lot of guys that can put the ball in the basket, so I let them shine, and I just rack up assists.” – Jimmy Butler via NY Times"

With Adebayo being aggressive, Butler facilitating guards, and Lowry setting up the whole blueprint for execution, this team can definitely sustain this run come crunch time.

It also helps that they are back to shooting lights out beyond the three-point line. The Heat are 21-1 when they shoot over 40 percent from behind the three-point line.

They will need to continue to hold that poise in order to separate themselves from the ever-nearing Bucks and Bulls in the East standings. Even the Cavaliers are sneaking up the ladder.

With 17 of the remaining 27 games in Miami, this offensive stride must continue to lock down that number-one seed. Kyle Lowry will be the guy to enforce that.