The Miami Heat will be without the services of veteran guard Kyle Lowry for their Monday night home game against the Chicago Bulls.
The 35-year-old Lowry, who the Heat acquired during the offseason, will be absent again due to personal reasons. A personal matter also caused Lowry to miss some time earlier this season.
Lowry missed nine straight games from Jan. 17 to Feb. 1, and the Heat were able to win five of those nine contests. Since his return on Feb. 3, the team has won eight of its last nine matchups.
In the Heat’s most recent game, Lowry contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists. In addition, he racked up three rebounds and a steal in what turned out to be a four-point win.
Monday’s matchup against the Bulls is an important one, with the Heat currently holding a one-game advantage over Chicago for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
So far this season, the Heat have won both of their contests against the Bulls. On Nov. 27, they traveled to Chicago and came away with a 107-104 victory, which was followed by a 118-92 home win over the Bulls on Dec. 11.
The Bulls will have their own hardships for Monday’s game, with several players set to miss the contest.
It’s unclear if Monday night’s game will be the only one that Lowry misses. The Heat have an important week coming up and could certainly use Lowry’s services.
On Wednesday evening, the Heat will face on the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. That clash will be followed by a Thursday night matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.