Who’s available for Heat in preseason game vs. Spurs? Adebayo, Butler, Lowry and others out
The Miami Heat treated Thursday’s preseason win over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. But Friday’s game in San Antonio will look very different.
As expected, the Heat will not play most of its regulars against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at AT&T Center on the second night of a back-to-back set. In total, 12 of Miami’s 20 players have been ruled out for the game.
The long list of those being held out of Friday’s game includes Heat stars Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry. All are out because of rest purposes after playing in the first half of Thursday’s win against the Rockets.
Miami also ruled out Dewayne Dedmon (rest), Marcus Garrett (back spasms), Udonis Haslem (personal reasons), Caleb Martin (right ankle sprain), KZ Okpala (right Achilles inflammation), Victor Oladipo (right knee surgery rehabilitation), Dru Smith (right knee bruise), P.J. Tucker (rest) and Gabe Vincent (left groin strain).
Forward Markieff Morris (rest) is listed as questionable.
With so many key players unavailable for the Heat, it will create more playing time than usual for the team’s developmental prospects.
If Morris plays, the Heat will have just eight players available for Friday’s game: Tyler Herro, Morris, Micah Potter, Duncan Robinson, Javonte Smart, DJ Stewart, Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven.
From that group, Herro and Robinson logged the most minutes on Thursday at 25 minutes and 24 minutes, respectively. Strus played 21 minutes in Houston.
Friday marks Miami’s third of six preseason games. Following Friday’s contest, the Heat returns home to continue its preseason schedule on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets at FTX Arena.
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 5:48 PM.
