The Miami Heat could make a big lineup change when Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo return from injury.
The Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman believes that the Heat will put Duncan Robinson back in the starting lineup when the two stars return.
“As with many things with Erik Spoelstra, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Winderman wrote. “All of that is said with the caveat that when Jimmy Butler returns, and perhaps when Bam Adebayo returns, as well, the thought here remains that Duncan will return to the starting lineup. That alignment has worked the past three seasons. Such an approach also would minimize the Robinson-Tyler Herro defensive pairing.”
Robinson has come off the bench in his last three games after starting the first 35 games he appeared in this season.
The University of Michigan product got off to a slow start shooting the ball this season, but he has come around as of late. Over his last four games, Robinson is averaging 19.8 points per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 47.9 percent from deep.
The Heat gave Robinson a five-year deal this past offseason because of his ability to do damage from beyond the arc, and he has been a fixture in lineups with Butler and Adebayo in recent years.
Max Strus, who has started every game that Robinson has entered as a reserve this season, has been an important player for the Heat. He is averaging 11.5 points per game and shooting 42.0 percent from deep, but he may be relegated back to a bench role once the Heat are healthy.
