The Miami Heat will be missing some key contributors for their game against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night.
Center Bam Adebayo (hip) and wing Duncan Robinson (thumb) have both been ruled out of the contest. Additionally, star veteran Jimmy Butler (ankle) is listed as questionable.
Butler’s final status will be revealed prior to tip. Meanwhile, the Heat will also be without Tyler Herro, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury, and Dru Smith, who was recently ruled out for the season with an ACL injury. So, to say the Heat will be undermanned might be an understatement.
There will be absences on both sides, as the Nets will be down multiple players themselves. Cam Thomas remains sidelined due to a sprained ankle, and Ben Simmons will miss the game as he continues to deal with lower back nerve impingement. Dennis Smith Jr. has also been ruled out due to a back issue.
Miami will be looking to bounce back against Brooklyn after blowing a big lead against the New York Knicks on Friday night and ultimately losing the game, 100-98. New York outscored Miami 29-11 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. Needless to say, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wasn’t pleased with his team’s play down the stretch of the game.
“At the end of the third quarter, we were up 20-plus (points),” Spoelstra said. “Turnovers and a bad shot, we didn’t get back on defense, and then it turns into a [Immanuel] Quickley three and another three, and all of a sudden it gets to 13. We had an opportunity to take it to 25 like we did the other night, and there’s a karma to it. We were so careless.”
The Heat enter the game against Brooklyn with a 10-6 record, which is good for fifth in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Nets have lost three straight games and sit at 6-8. Saturday’s game will be the third of four meetings between the teams on the season.
Hopefully, Miami’s injured players will be able to return to game action sooner than later, as the Heat have a relatively tough stretch coming up. After the game against Brooklyn, they have a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night followed by two straight games against the upstart Indiana Pacers.
The good news for Miami is that the game against the Bucks and both games against the Pacers will take place in South Florida. The Heat have fared well at home so far this season, winning four out of the five games they’ve played in front of their home fans.