Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra Was Once Not A Fan Of Kyle Lowry

Spoelstra says it's easier to deal with Kyle Lowry now that they are on the same side

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra recently said Kyle Lowry is a player you'd rather have on your team than the alternative. 

Spoelstra knows from experience.

After Miami’s win in Boston, Spoelstra explained why he is fortunate to now have Lowry on his side after many years of playing against him. Lowry finished with 23 points and eight assists.

“Look, we’ve been on the other side of it,” Spoelstra said. “There were many years that I just really did not like Kyle Lowry, because he was such a thorn in our side.”

One matchup Spoelstra referenced was the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals when Lowry sent the Heat home after Game 7. Spoelstra said Lowry is someone who just knows how to win.

“As that series got deeper, the better he played in clutch moments,” Spoelstra said. “You can’t define it by an analytic or a number or a play call … he just knows how to make winning plays.”

Now, Lowry is making those winning plays for the Heat. 

“That’s just a great luxury to have a Hall of Fame point guard who can choreograph your offense but also take on big challenges defensively on the other end,” Spoelstra said.

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Corey Holmes is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He is a film and television graduate from Notre Dame and has a master's degree in journalism from Morgan State. He can reached at coreyrholmes4@gmail.com or on Twitter @coreyholmes4