Heat big man Bam Adebayo has been upgraded to questionable for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link). Adebayo has missed the last two games due to a neck strain and had been listed as doubtful before each of those contests.
Adebayo told reporters earlier today that he’s trying to make it back to the court as soon as possible, but that the decision will ultimately be up to Miami’s medical staff, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
“It’s day to day. When they say I’m ready to play, I will be out there,” Adebayo said. “… They just want me to be safe. They want to make sure this injury doesn’t get worse and that I’m back to where I was before.”
The Heat’s other injured starter, point guard Goran Dragic, remains listed as doubtful for Game 4, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Dragic, who is dealing with a torn left plantar fascia, also spoke to the media earlier today, admitting during that session that he’s probably a long shot to return on Tuesday. Although the veteran point guard badly wants to play in the Finals, he said he’s in a lot of pain and isn’t sure whether or not he’ll be able to make it back.
“If I am honest, I don’t know,” Dragic said, per Jackson. “This injury depends on how it goes. It progresses different from other guys. The only thing I can do is be on top of my treatments. I’m doing that 24/7. If I have a few days (maybe I can play). I’m making some progress. Some days I’m the same. (Doctors) say it could change. It’s better than it was. We’ll see how it reacts in the near future. I’m doing everything I can do.”
Miami managed to pick up a win in Game 3 without Adebayo and Dragic, pulling to within 2-1 in the series against the Lakers. However, that required a superhuman effort from Jimmy Butler, who had 40 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds. Continuing to mount a comeback without two of their top three postseason scorers would be a monumental task for the Heat.
How is questionable an upgrade from doubtful? We don’t know when he’ll be healthy enough, let’s just wait until he’s ready to play.
They need Bam. Cause he helps with AD. And he puts pressure on their inside D. Jimmy played a great gm. But he won’t do this every gm. Bam has to come back. Man I just want to see a good series. So all the. Who’s MVP Bron or AD fan boys. Are all where now. Seems to me it’s between Jimmy n Bron now. Even if they go 7. And Lakers win. Jimmy can still win it. He was responsible for 73 of Miami’s pts. Only Clyde (NYK) had more in Finals. He did it in gm 7 against Lakers (74) in 1970. Butler not only leading team. He’s playing Bron on D. No Fear ….
does Minny n Philly understand NOW. I just love 2way players. Knicks take Okoro, he could be next Jimmy. I’ll be super happy. Let’s go Heat. I wanna go 7.
Did you go to high school? This has to be the most poorly written paragraph I have ever read.
Just the other day you said lakers in 4 lol after saying lakers would lose to rockets, nuggets and clippers….which is it?
Bam can’t guard ad did you not see game 1 he was -20 while guarding him. Also got destroyed by dwight.
Jimmy had a great game shooting 70% while lebron and ad had poor games it happens but I’m leaning towards the series ending in 5 you can’t rely on jimmy being that efficient or lebron playing that poorly for an entire series.
Healthy bam can guard ad.bam already got injuried since heat against celtics gm.jimmy need to take more shots.bron cant guard him.
I wouldn’t say LeBron can’t guard Jimmy, Miami exploited LeBron on those high screens and it worked an absolute treat…it tired him and was clearly frustrating him which flowed on into James offense
I meant bron cant guard jimmy for 4 quarters.he still good in first half but getting tired in the last half.its all about age.prime bron can do it.but not with old bron.heats need to attack lakers from bron side.make him tired.bron is the lakers’s key.
Interesting thing about the high screens on LeBron. For anyone that remembers, when we lost to Dallas with LeBron, they did kind of the same thing at times with LeBron, and he had a bad series. Riley and Spo apparently went back to that for this series.
I dont watched that game.but spo and riley found the way to beat lakers.bron is the key.he always a great player.but it all about his age.if he tired then heat have a chance.ad is a great player too,but bron is the batman and ad only the robin.
I have no clue what you wrote but I can see its another overreaction to a Lakers loss just like each of their 1 L in the first three rounds.
You know why. Cause you need know what’s out there. It actually takes time to get knowledge. Make some. All the fan boys and media heads. Have all jumped on Bron or AD as MVP. As a sweep coming. I choose to let the games play. I know a healthy Heat team has a shot. Therefore I can watch a good series. Not a fan of either, but rooting for underdogs. AD didn’t show up with no Bam. That says something. Jimmy is not going to do this every gm. But with Bam and Duncan having gd gms. And them playing the team gm they have been playing. They have a shot at six or seven. That’s all I want to see. I haven’t been on this board like 95% of Laker fans drooling after the first two gms. Then all go into hiding or come talk about grammar. Jimmy played a great gm. A history making gm. Only three players in history have done it. Bron, West, Jimmy (Jimmy is only one who won his gm). You see kid. That’s called knowledge, making a point. You understand that.
As bulls fan, i always love jimmy.but u r right.jimmy cant make it alone until game 7.Jimmy need at least bam.i really love watching a good game.healthy lakers vs healthy heat will be a great game.im at heat side, but i wont happy if bron or ad get injury.
Al you clearly weren’t watching the same game ad had 20 points at the half against bam lol dwight had 12 all while bam had 8 he played 32 minutes that game….also you clearly didn’t watch game 3 because lakers had many turnovers and shot a low percentage. Won’t happen again.
Your takes are terrible and you have shown very little iq when it comes to writing a paragraph let alone what it takes to win. You said clippers, rockets, nuggets then lakers in 4 and now your on heat bandwagon after 1 game. Must not watch basketball often because Knicks are often out of contention after the first month. Your a meme at this point but keep going.
Imindless : u cleary didnt know that bam already got injuried in ecf against celtics.dwight cant beat healthy bam.ad still a better player than bam,but with healthy bam,heats will be better and have a bigger chance to defeat lakers.with healthy bam,lakers still the favorite but not that easy.i think lakers will win in 7 but i still cheers for the heats.
@imindless
While I don’t expect the Heat to win the series, the fact is that Bam was injured in the Celtics series. At least know the facts before you make statements.
While AD is a great player that is better than Bam, the gap is smaller with a healthy Bam.
And to mention Dwight’s production clearly shows you didn’t watch the ECF to be aware that Bam was already injured. Any idiot knows that Dwight can’t do much against Bam. That’s laughable. I’m sure there are knowledgeable Lakers’ fans (who watch basketball all the time – and not just the Lakers) who are embarrassed about you making that statement to make them look bad. Wow…are you the same guy that will pass up Charlize Theron for Roseanne Barr if Charlize is wearing another team’s jersey and Roseanne is wearing a Lakers jersey? That’s a metaphor for thinking Dwight can handle Bam.
@marlinsfanbase thats a nice cop out of an excuse. Typical troll. So what your saying is the 3 games after bad “injury” when he went to play 40 minutes a night with no issue? Even putting up 35 points on celtics(the team without any true big) That same injury? Or Was it when he starts banging with the big lakers bodies and gets owned? Dude had 8 points and was getting destroyed on the glass by ad and Dwight, not sure what game you were watching. So the Lakers weren’t up 30 with him on the floor? or you gonna chalk it up to a phantom injury that happened in game 1 30 minutes in. Get off your high horse lol jimmy played the best game he every played in his life and barely won by 10 points your still down 2-1 and I expect a huge game from lebron to silence stans like yourself.
@imindless
Cop out? Even at full strength, the Heat weren’t beating the Lakers. I’m not sure where you get this notion that I’m using a cop out excuse when I never expected my team to win this series – let alone be here.
As for Bam, again, I stated that AD is a better player than Bam. Where’s the debate there?
If you’re trying to convince someone that Dwight is a better player than Bam or whatever point you’re claiming, you clearly don’t watch the game beyond the Lakers. Even in Howard’s prime in Orlando, it would be hard to argue that he would outplay Bam who’s still early in his career. That’s laughable if you’re really trying to make a case that Dwight can outplay a healthy Bam. There are many many many knowledgeable Lakers fans would be embarrassed that you’re making that case as a member of their fan base. Bam was a big part of getting us to the playoffs and Finals. Dwight, at this point in his career, is riding coattails as a bench guy.
Dwight got to the finals himself and beat lebron and is a multiple defensive player of the year. Clearly you didn’t watch the first game with your eyes open. Bam had 8 points against both ad and Dwight and the “injury” was sustained when Dwight boxed out bam fairly easily and lightly bumped shoulders. Heats main focus has been floor spacing with Olynic and meyers both better outside shooters than bam. I expect lakers to get out to a large lead and spo will switch bam for someone who can spread the floor not someone who just stands and gets boxed out in the lane.
Clearly you didn’t watch the Celtics series. Bam was hurt. He wasn’t missing games hurt yet, but he was hurt.
I can’t believe that you’re actually trying to tell a Heat fan about his own player…a player and team that you clearly don’t watch.
And sad that you got Knickerbockers comment deleted when he called you out about repeating E!SPN drivel.
Keep dreaming of a Dwight Christmas. He’s riding coattails. When he gets this ring, he can thank LeBron and AD. Seriously, what has he done without them against Bam since Bam entered the league? Nothing. Dwight was on his way out of the league until LeBron and AD asked him to carry their bags. He can also thank the Celtics for playing hard enough for Bam to get hurt, so Dwight wouldn’t get abused by him, which would have had him getting less minutes in this series.
Bam 2 quick fouls. Can’t guard ad or Dwight.
Bam? More like bum locked up by bron for second half. Lakers in 5
I think I missed Dwight dominating Bam in Game 4. Did I watch the wrong Game 4?
I keep seeing that Dwight scored 0 points and only was left out there for 8 minutes. I keep seeing that Bam scored 15 and had 7 rebounds. I must be looking at the wrong Game 4.
I still am wondering where I ever said that the Heat were winning this series. Can you remind me when?
See what bandwagoner fan boys like you don’t get, is I am around for my teams win or lose. This year, the Heat and Marlins have exceeded expectations. I’m already happy with their seasons. All of this extra stuff has been icing added onto a nice cake.
At least give him credit for not saying “would of”, “could of”, “should of”, or “must of” like so many other illiterates that think using of is the same as ‘ve (the contraction for have).
Really the Harden hugger got noise. You really don’t want me. I just want to enjoy a good series. And I appreciate a team growing up. It’s called a basketball game. I doubt you can understand that. Since it’s not one guy holding the ball for 15 sec. Then not playing D. Then throwing up shots. Cause his team let’s him.
You know I think I will take time now. To show who LA and Harden really are. I’m in children.
He doesn’t help with AD as seen by the first game and the other games during the regular season. The spacing without him is much needed
Adebayo has looked less & less comfortable since late in the Boston series when he kept playing with an arm hanging wrong. He has not been as active on offense as before, maybe due to coaches telling him to focus on defense. He has been relying on intimidation more than movement.
In his absense, Olynyk has gotten enough minutes to get his game going, so that worked out.
Leonard was quite out of condition, but IMO, Dwight was having so much fun fouling him in positioning in the last game, that he gave Miami opportunities to foul back in crucial ways with no consequence, everything looking equal to the refs given how Leonard was taking the hits.
That’s how I saw it, IDK if that will show up in film. If it does I would expect the Lakers to correct it along with Butler’s taking control, and win the next.
I had thought Adebayo could key trade interest in MIL for making a Giannis trade but toss that idea; he has a problem. Giannis will stay. Not that Riley would give up what he would have to!
Post gm 4: Dwight played 7 mins, Markieff 30′ was the main center in a win.
All you clowns here who don’t know ball. Think going off subject is some kind of jab. Don’t get what a spirts forum is all about. It’s about really talking. Real thoughts. Not about grammar or pleasing you. Obviously if you can’t discuss ball. It’s cause you have already gave in. And have nothing to say. So know when you go off ball. You are only telling everyone on this board. How small and confined your thoughts really are. This is not about arguing. Its about making points. Either as a fan or fan of game. Knowledge is not given or learned. It’s earned. Get with the program.
KnickerbockerAI, are you using a telegraph to post your comments? Are you talking to us from the past?
Don’t rush back Bam. Heat need the spacing of Leonard and Kelly
Who’s winning Game 4?
Bam plays I got Heat. Considering how AD went hiding in gm3. He’s probably going to claim injury when he sees Bam. BOOM ..
Watch out Jimmy is in the HOUSE . His House
Get real Al, stop the nonsense!
AD, Giannis, Vucevic, Embiid & Jokic have all been better than Bam in the playoffs…
Having said that, yes Bam has been the best player for MIA, that is so true… but nowhere near the level of AD!