Herro to return vs. Clippers as one of Heat’s 10 available players. Butler, Dragic still out
The Miami Heat will be short-handed once again Thursday.
After playing without three of its best players — Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro — in Wednesday’s 109-82 blowout home loss to the Denver Nuggets, two will also miss Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Butler (health and safety protocols) and Dragic (left groin strain) have been ruled out for Thursday’s contest.
In addition, guard Avery Bradley (right knee contusion) will also be unavailable after returning to play in Wednesday’s loss to the Nuggets following an eight-game absence stemming from a COVID-19 diagnosis. And veteran forward Andre Iguodala, who turned 37 on Thursday, is a late scratch because of neck spasms.
But the good news for the Heat is Herro (neck spasms) will be available to play against the Clippers after missing the past seven games.
Butler, who will miss his 10th consecutive game Thursday because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, had been upgraded to questionable on the 1:30 p.m. injury report but was downgraded to out for Miami’s matchup against Los Angeles on the 5:30 p.m. injury report. The five-time All-Star has not played since the Heat’s Jan. 9 road win over the Washington Wizards.
There’s optimism that Butler will be able to return for Saturday’s home game against the Sacramento Kings, according to a league source.
Butler, 31, has played in just six of the Heat’s first 17 games, as he also missed two of the first four games of the season because of a sprained right ankle. Butler, in casual clothes, watched Wednesday’s loss from the Heat’s bench alongside teammates for the first time since he went out more than two weeks ago.
In the six games he has played this season, Butler has averaged 15.8 points on 44.2 percent shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.2 steals.
Dragic will miss his second straight game because of the groin injury. He has averaged 15.9 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 2.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 14 games this season.
In addition to Bradley, Butler, Dragic and Iguodala, the Heat remains without forward Moe Harkless (left thigh contusion) and centers Meyers Leonard (left shoulder strain) and Chris Silva (left hip flexor strain) on Thursday.
Forward Duncan Robinson (left quadriceps contusion), two-way contract forward Max Strus (left wrist contusion) and two-way contract guard Gabe Vincent (sprained right ankle) will be available to play for the Heat against the Clippers.
The Heat will have 10 available players on Thursday: Precious Achiuwa, Bam Adebayo, Udonis Haslem, Herro, Kendrick Nunn, KZ Okpala, Kelly Olynyk, Robinson, Strus and Vincent.
The Heat’s opponent will also be missing key players.
The Clippers have ruled out their superstar duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard for Thursday’s game against the Heat because of the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Guard Patrick Beverley (right knee soreness) will also miss the contest.
Leonard (25.9 points per game) and George (23.9 points per game) are the Clippers’ top two scorers. Los Angeles has outscored opponents by 127 points with its two stars on the court together and has been outscored by 47 points when both are not playing this season, according to NBAWowy’s numbers.
This story was originally published January 28, 2021 at 1:48 PM.
