Heat’s Avery Bradley to miss 19th straight game, but Bam Adebayo ready for return
Avery Bradley is not ready to return just yet
The Miami Heat’s veteran guard was listed as questionable for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of a right calf strain that has forced him to miss the past 18 games. That’s encouraging, considering Bradley has been listed as out for every game since sustaining the calf injury during a Feb. 3 loss to the Washington Wizards.
But Bradley’s return will have to wait, as he’ll miss his 19th straight game on Tuesday because of the calf injury.
The Heat, as expected, will get starting center Bam Adebayo back against the Cavaliers, though. Adebayo missed the past four games with left knee tendinitis.
Bradley, who signed with the Heat as a free agent this past offseason, has played in just 10 games this season. He has missed 29 games because of injury and one because of a DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision) in the opener.
A positive COVID-19 test kept Bradley out for eight games in January, a right knee contusion forced him to miss two more games in late January, and the right calf straight has sidelined him for 19 straight games.
The longest stretch of consecutive games that Bradley has played in so far this season is seven because of those three separate multigame absences.
In the games that Bradley has played in this season, the 30-year-old has been a consistent part of the Heat’s bench rotation. Bradley, who was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team in 2016 and All-Defensive second team in 2013, has averaged 8.5 points while shooting 47 percent from the field and 42.1 percent on threes, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.1 minutes in his 10 appearances (one start).
Bradley, who spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers but opted out of playing in the NBA’s Walt Disney World bubble, signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Heat this past offseason. The deal includes a $5.6 million salary this season and a $5.9 million team option next season.
The Heat has 15 of its 17 players available to play Tuesday. Along with Bradley, center Meyers Leonard (league suspension/season-ending shoulder surgery) is out.
This story was originally published March 16, 2021 at 6:17 PM.
