Heat’s Bam Adebayo out vs. Hornets with calf injury: ‘It got to a point that I had to sit down’
The Miami Heat will be without three-time All-Star center Bam Adebayo on Tuesday night against the Hornets in Charlotte.
Adebayo, who was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday after his historic 83-point performance last week, has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game because of right calf tightness. Adebayo was listed as questionable for the contest on Monday before being downgraded to doubtful on Tuesday morning and then being ruled out just a few hours before tipoff on Tuesday night.
“We want to make sure that he’s feeling good. So we’ll be responsible with it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said following Tuesday’s morning shootaround in Charlotte when asked about Adebayo’s status. “He’ll continue to do around the clock treatment.”
Adebayo, the Heat’s captain, will miss his ninth game of the season on Tuesday. He played in 36 straight games before sitting out Tuesday’s contest.
Adebayo said he’s been “playing through it a couple games ... but it got to a point that I had to sit down.”
Adebayo, 28, is averaging 20 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three-point range in his ninth NBA season.
The Heat has outscored opponents by a dominant eight points per 100 possessions with Adebayo on the court this season. But the Heat has struggled when Adebayo hasn’t been on the court, as opponents have outscored Miami by 2.7 points per 100 possessions in the non-Adebayo minutes this season.
With Adebayo out Tuesday, Heat second-year center Kel’el Ware is expected to start in his place. Among the options to then fill in as the Heat’s backup center will be Nikola Jovic, Vlad Goldin and Keshad Johnson.
Jovic, 22, is expected to be available after missing the last 11 games with a lower back issue.
“He’s feeling much better physically,” Spoelstra said of Jovic on Tuesday morning. “He has put in that time. Will he play tonight for certain? I’m not sure. But he’s definitely on deck, especially if Bam doesn’t go. It might just be plug minutes.”
Along with missing Adebayo, the Heat remains without starting forward Andrew Wiggins, who will miss his sixth straight game with a left big toe injury. Terry Rozier (not with team) is the only other Heat player ruled out for Tuesday’s game.
The Hornets will be Tosan Evbuomwan (G League), PJ Hall (G League), Liam McNeeley (G League), Antonio Reeves (G League) and Tidjane Salaun (left calf strain) against the Heat.
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 12:14 PM.
