Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is likely to play in the team’s Tuesday night road matchup against the Detroit Pistons, though guard Kyle Lowry’s status remains uncertain.
Bam Adebayo has been upgraded to probable for tonight’s game in Detroit. Kyle Lowry remains questionable.
Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson will be available.
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) April 4, 2023
Due to a hip injury, Adebayo was forced to miss the Heat’s Saturday night victory over the Dallas Mavericks. That absence from the lineup was a rarity for the durable Adebayo, who has seen action in 72 games this season and has established himself as a team leader.
That win over the Mavericks stopped a three-game losing streak. It also helped the Heat in the team’s quest to enhance their positioning within the Eastern Conference.
Picking up that clutch victory without Adebayo was especially notable, given his on-court contributions. For the season, he’s averaging 20.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while also delivering solid defense.
If Adebayo does end playing, it’s uncertain exactly how many minutes of action he’ll see against the Pistons. The hope is that the Heat can take care of business as quickly as possible, in order to give Adebayo as much rest as possible.
Lowry’s potential absence is something that the Heat have been dealing with all season. The situation is one that’s reportedly sparked disappointment about his possible decline.
Having turned 37 last month, Lowry has only seen action in 52 games this season after playing in 63 games during the 2021-22 campaign.
Even when on the court, Lowry’s production has dipped from his prime as a member of the Toronto Raptors. In a Heat uniform, Lowry has averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
Even though it’s dangerous to look past any opponent, the Heat may be inclined to do so against the Pistons. That’s because Detroit are simply playing out the schedule with a 16-62 record, the worst in the NBA.
With just four games remaining, the likelihood of the Heat overtaking the Brooklyn Nets, the current sixth seed, is likely remote. That’s because the Heat are currently two games behind them, and the Nets hold the tiebreaker.
Even though the Heat have furiously fought to avoid competing in the play-in games, the team’s presumed goal is to finish with the seventh-best record, barring a Nets collapse. That scenario would guarantee that the Heat host the first play-in game.
