Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra could give guard Kyle Lowry and forward P.J. Tucker more minutes going forward as the team battles several injuries.
The Heat are without big man Bam Adebayo for a significant period of time after he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb during the team’s game against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 29.
Adebayo isn’t the only member of the team that is injured, as Jimmy Butler and Markieff Morris are also nursing injuries and have been out of the lineup.
That has put Spoelstra in a tough spot, as Miami’s is shorthanded heading into Wednesday’s matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks.
To make up for that, Spoelstra could turn to Lowry and Tucker to pick up some extra minutes.
“They’re in great shape. They can handle the minutes,” Spoelstra told the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman. “But we’re going to need contributions from our entire roster. And our guys are prepared for that.”
Dewayne Dedmon has stepped up for Miami with Adebayo out, but the team will need contributions up and down the roster until Morris and Butler are able to return.
“Going into Wednesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at FTX Arena, Lowry had played at least 36 minutes in four of the previous six games, including 40 in Monday night’s home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies,” Winderman wrote.
“With Tucker, the minutes have been more measured, no more than 32 minutes in any of the eight games leading into Wednesday night.”
The Heat are just 14-11 this season after getting out to a hot start. They have lost three of their last four games with Adebayo out of the lineup.
The Heat and Bucks are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. EST from FTX Arena on Wednesday night.
