The Miami Heat will be without forward P.J. Tucker for the first time this season when they take on the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.
The team revealed that Tucker, who injured his leg in Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, is dealing with “left lower leg nerve inflammation.”
Tucker isn’t the only Heat player that was ruled out for Tuesday’s contest. Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin (health and safety protocols) and Markieff Morris also won’t appear in the game.
Losing Tucker is a big blow to a Miami defense that is already without its anchor in Bam Adebayo.
While the MRI results don’t sound too serious for the veteran, it is certainly something worth monitoring for a team that already has so many key players out.
This season, Tucker has appeared in all 31 of Miami’s games (although that streak will end on Tuesday). He is averaging 28.3 minutes per game.
He has been a key piece for Miami, especially since he is shooting a career-high 45.5 percent from beyond the arc this season.
So far in the 2021-22 campaign, Tucker is averaging 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field. He has been a major upgrade for a Heat team that spent most of the 2020-21 season trying to find a replacement for Jae Crowder.
The Heat will lean on Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and perhaps Tyler Herro (who is listed as questionable) when they take on the Pacers on Tuesday.