Miami Heat takes advantage of mini break in schedule. And injury updates
The Miami Heat just finished playing five games on the West Coast over a nine-day stretch. It still has one more game away from FTX Arena to complete this extended run of a half-dozen consecutive road games.
But a quirk in the schedule — specifically three consecutive off days — afforded the team a brief respite from the road life before facing the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday at State Farm Arena (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun).
So the Heat flew back to Miami after its win over the Phoenix Suns as Saturday night turned into Sunday morning and spent the next two days at home before one final round of flights.
“It’s a beautiful Association. We love being able to do this,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “There are always going to be some scheduling quirks for every team. You’re going to be on the road for 41 games, so when you have 30 teams that you have to try to arrange all the different schedules, there’s going to be something that’s a little bit odd.”
The upside to that?
“We were able to spend two days with our families,” Spoelstra said, “which we all maximized that. We had a good practice today, and we’ll get on to this game to Atlanta.”
The end of an eventual road trip.
The first game of what was supposed to be seven straight away from Miami — Dec. 29 against the San Antonio Spurs — was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak inside the Heat organization.
A shorthanded Heat roster — one that included just five regulars and six players on emergency 10-day contracts — then defeated the Houston Rockets on Jan. 1 before losing back-to-back games to the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, with Jimmy Butler injuring his ankle in the Warriors game.
Then the roster started to return to form.
Butler remained out — and will also sit out Wednesday’s game in Atlanta even though he practiced Tuesday— but P.J. Tucker cleared protocols and returned for the Warriors game. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson were back a game later.
And the Heat left the West Coast with back-to-back wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Suns.
Time off has since followed even though the Heat still has another game to play away from home before getting eight of its next nine at FTX Arena.
“An unnatural experience, even for the NBA,” said Kyle Guy, who the Heat signed to a second 10-day contract on Monday.
The last time the Heat had at least three days off between consecutive road games, not including games played immediately before and after the All-Star Break? January 2014, when Miami played at the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 10 and then faced the Washington Wizards on Jan. 15. The Heat visited the White House the day before that Wizards game to be honored for winning the 2013 NBA Championship.
Injury updates
In addition to Butler progressing enough to practice on Tuesday, Spoelstra on Tuesday touched on the progress of other players who are currently sidelined. The highlights:
▪ Center Dewayne Dedmon practiced Tuesday. Spoelstra said they will have to see how he feels Wednesday before they can make any determination on his future status. Dedmon has missed seven consecutive games with a knee injury.
▪ Spoelstra on center Bam Adebayo, who is practicing but still rehabbing following thumb surgery: “We’re just happy that he’s been able to basically work since three days after the surgery. He’s basically been doing everything conditioning, getting up and down the court. From that standpoint, he’s been very involved, and I think it’s been really good for him, his spirits, his positivity. It’s been great for us having around, especially on this last road trip. He’s still leading and encouraging guys. When you see him working, it’s hard not to just get encouraged and also inspired.”
▪ On Markeiff Morris, now in health and safety protocols but sidelined for 30 games with a neck injury: “He’s making progress. It was great to have him with us practicing the other day and we’ll just keep on moving forward. When we have the next update on him and what his timeline will be, I’ll let you guys know.”
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