Heat center Dewayne Dedmon out for Game 4 vs. 76ers with illness
The Miami Heat will be without one rotation regular on Sunday night.
Backup center Dewayne Dedmon will not play in Game 4 of the Heat’s second-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers because of a head cold. Dedmon was listed as questionable before being formally ruled out on Sunday’s 5:30 p.m. injury report.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Dedmon tested negative for COVID-19 and labeled him as “day-to-day.”
Dedmon played in Friday’s Game 3 loss, recording three points, four rebounds and one block in 15 minutes off the bench.
Without Dedmon, the Heat will have to turn elsewhere to fill the center minutes when starter Bam Adebayo is not in the game.
Among Spoelstra’s options: go small and move forward P.J. Tucker (6-5, 245) to center, play veteran Markieff Morris (6-9, 245) at center, or move rookie center Omer Yurtseven (6-11, 275) into the rotation. Morris and Yurtseven have not been part of the Heat’s rotation in the playoffs.
The challenge will be matching up against the size and skill of 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid (7-0, 280) when Adebayo isn’t on the court.
Dedmon is the only Heat player unavailable for Game 4. Tyler Herro (left ankle sprain), Kyle Lowry (left hamstring strain), Caleb Martin (left ankle sprain), Max Strus (right hamstring strain), Tucker (right calf strain) and Gabe Vincent (right knee irritation) were all listed as questionable, but will play.
This story was originally published May 8, 2022 at 6:13 PM.
