Heat’s injury issues continue. Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler among those out vs. Timberwolves
The Miami Heat’s bad injury luck this season continues.
The Heat will not have its leading duo of center Bam Adebayo (non-COVID illness) and wing Jimmy Butler (right ankle sprain) available for Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FTX Arena.
It marks the fourth game that Adebayo has missed and the 13th game that Butler has missed this season. Adebayo woke up Monday sick and Butler sprained his ankle in the first quarter of Friday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The Heat will be without three centers against the Timberwolves. Along with Adebayo, Dewayne Dedmon (left foot plantar fasciitis) and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle surgery) have also been ruled out.
The Heat will need to rely on two-way contract center Orlando Robinson to play more minutes Monday to fill the void at the position. Forwards Udonis Haslem, Haywood Highsmith, Jamal Cain and Nikola Jovic are other small-ball options to play center.
With Adebayo, Butler, Dedmon and Yurtseven ruled out against the Timberwolves, the Heat was left with 12 available players.
Because of the injury issues, the Heat has been able to use its preferred starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Butler, Martin and Adebayo in just 12 games this season.
The Heat entered Monday with the second-most missed games (124 games) among NBA teams due to injuries this season, according to Spotrac.
This story was originally published December 26, 2022 at 1:25 PM.
