The Miami Heat won’t be at full strength against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Heat stars Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry, as well as forward Markieff Morris, will be out of action. On the bright side, Heat superstar Jimmy Butler will be back in the lineup.
Butler, 32, has missed the Heat’s last three games with an ankle injury that he sustained during the team’s recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The veteran is gathering a 23.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season. During the 2021 offseason, the Heat agreed to a max contract extension that will pay him about $184 million over the next four seasons, including the current campaign.
The Heat will also be without Adebayo, who has missed the squad’s last game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nonetheless, franchise needs the big man’s presence. The 24-year-old Adebayo is putting up a career-best 19.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest this season.
While the Lowry won’t be on the court on Wednesday, he does not appear to be dealing with any noteworthy injury. The guard is simply not playing due to rest.
In his first year in Miami, Lowry is averaging 12.7 points, 7.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. The Heat hold a 9-5 record.
The Pelicans continue to be without star phenom Zion Williamson. The No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft has missed every game this season because of a right foot fracture suffered over the summer. He holds career averages of 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.