Heat Notes: Adebayo, Herro, Guard Depth, Johnson
Bam Adebayo‘s elite-level impact on the Heat has become undeniable, Ira Winderman writes for the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Winderman makes a stat-based argument for Adebayo’s stardom, noting that he’s second in the league in on/off differential behind only Nikola Jokic (among players who have logged at least 1500 minutes) and that the Heat have a 99.7 defensive rating with him on the court since the start of February.
Winderman notes that with the Heat surging, award consideration could soon follow for Adebayo. Head coach Erik Spoelstra agrees, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang, who says (via Twitter) Spoelstra believes that if the Heat continue to win, the Defensive Player of the Year award will be a two-man race between Adebayo and Victor Wembanyama.
While there’s still plenty of work to do to secure a playoff spot, the Heat are playing with a real joy and belief in themselves, Winderman writes.
“You can sense that our locker room is trying to seize the moment right now,” Spoelstra said. “We’re having a lot of fun competing with each other and playing to a consistent identity on both ends.”
We have more from the Heat:
- One reason for Miami’s improved play of late is Tyler Herro, who has been rounding into his customary form after an injury-riddled start to the season, Chiang writes. Herro was recently named Eastern Conference Player of the Week and is relishing being back on the court with his teammates. “I’m appreciating just, again, being out there,” he said. “I was without the game for a while, and to be out there means a lot. Now to be winning out there with these guys, it feels amazing.” Chiang notes that Herro is the only player averaging more than 20 points with at least .500/.450/.900 shooting splits since the All-Star break.
- The point guard position has been something of a question mark outside of Davion Mitchell this season, but Spoelstra says he’s very happy with how the depth chart has shaped up, according to Chiang. “We have three really good point guards,” Spoelstra said, referring to Mitchell, rookie Kasparas Jakucionis, and Dru Smith. “… We feel very fortunate. We haven’t had this kind of point guard play and that depth at that position — I can’t remember. It’s been a while.” Spoelstra added that each guard brings a different skill set to the table, so when one doesn’t play, it’s not an indictment on that player, but more related to what the team needs in that moment.
- Keshad Johnson is ready to defend his dunk contest crown next season, writes Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype. “I’ll for sure be down to do it again next year,” he said. “Make a bigger name for myself. I do believe bigger names are gonna start getting involved with All-Star Weekend, based on how the politics are playing out and how the fans are being very vocal about wanting to see big names go out there and do stuff during All-Star Weekend.” In the interview, Johnson said that he believes in himself and his work, and is embracing what the Heat have asked of him. “It’s all about being a winner, whatever it takes to win,” he said. “That’s what the Heat values, that’s what I’m trying to show I can do. So whether that’s guarding the best player, rebounding, or hitting shots, that’s what I’m trying to work on.”
Heat Notes: Herro, Larsson, Mitchell, Jovic, Smith, Jakucionis
Heat guard Tyler Herro made a triumphant return in Friday’s victory at Atlanta, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The 2025 All-Star scored a game-high 24 points (on 9-of-14 shooting) in 23 minutes off the bench. He also contributed four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra indicated that Herro’s reserve role isn’t necessarily permanent, though he was noncommittal about when the 26-year-old might return to the starting lineup.
“Right now we’re just trying to get him out there,” Spoelstra said. “We are going to manage the minutes. I’m not overthinking it, I’m not putting anything in cement, I don’t have a timeline for anything. We’re how many ever games into the season right now and we finally have our full roster. We’re just going to try to maximize these next 25 games as much as possible and we just want everybody just to pour into the team, pour into the role, don’t overthink things at this point.”
Herro had missed Miami’s last 15 games due after fracturing three ribs last month. He wore a flak jacket on Friday and said he’s focused on finishing out the year strong after making just 12 appearances thus far in 2025/26, Chiang writes.
“I just want to get out here and play with the whole team, get comfortable, and just stack some healthy games together,” said Herro, who will be extension-eligible this offseason. “Just try to play a stretch of games where I’m healthy. That’s all that’s on my mind.”
Here’s more from Miami:
- Pelle Larsson has been starting in place of Herro and the second-year Heat wing continued to play well on Friday, Chiang writes in another story. Over his last 14 appearances (28.4 MPG), all starts, Larsson has averaged 12.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.5 APG and 0.9 SPG on .567/.300/.791 shooting. “He’s the glue that really can help maximize lineups,” Spoelstra said of Larsson. “Whenever he’s been with that starting unit, it’s been incredibly dynamic. He does all the little things that aren’t seen or not really noticed on the outside, but we notice it. The cuts, the movement, taking charges, running the floor, just moving the basketball, being a ball mover, allowing the scorers to just focus on their strengths.”
- Starting point guard Davion Mitchell is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game vs. Memphis due to an illness, according to Chiang (Twitter link). Forward Nikola Jovic (low back tightness) and reserve guard Dru Smith (left calf soreness) are questionable to suit up. Mitchell played 27 minutes last night, but Jovic and Smith were out of the rotation, only receiving three garbage-time minutes apiece. Herro (ribs) and Norman Powell (illness) are probable to play on the second of a back-to-back.
- In a Q&A with Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype, first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis discusses adjusting to the NBA, finding his rhythm in the G League at the beginning of the season, learning from veterans like Mitchell, and more. “Yeah, it’s amazing,” the rookie guard said of the team’s culture. “It’s very similar to how I think things should be in basketball or in life: working hard and trying to win every time. Being together, being hungry every time you step on the court, diving for loose balls, and paying attention to little details. I think that’s what makes the difference.”
Heat Notes: Herro, Jovic, Gardner, Keels
After taking part in practice on Thursday, Heat guard Tyler Herro spoke to the media for the first time in several weeks and confirmed a report that he fractured three ribs last month, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes.
“There’s not too much discomfort anymore compared to where I was three or four weeks ago,” Herro said. “I couldn’t even get out of bed. It was crazy. There was nothing I could magically do to fix my ribs. I had three fractured ribs. My ribs were in a lot of pain. Doing normal lifestyle things, I couldn’t do. There was no way I could play basketball. I can fully move how I’m supposed to now. Just focused on staying healthy the rest of the season.”
After missing Miami’s past 15 games, Herro will make his return on Friday in Atlanta, having been upgraded to available for the divisional matchup with the Hawks. In fact, the Heat’s roster will be as healthy as it’s been all season, with only Terry Rozier and a pair of two-way players listed as out on the injury report because they’re not with their team.
Of course, describing Herro as fully “healthy” might be a stretch. Although he’s ready to play, he’ll be wearing an NFL-style flak jacket under his jersey in his first game back to protect his ribs, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required).
“They had like a sewing person come in and sew a whole new pad in for me,” Herro said. “So I got quite the flak jacket. I look like a football player almost out there. So I’m going to see how it goes, try to feel it out a little bit. Ultimately, just want to feel safe. Hopefully I just don’t get hit there and we’ll be good. But yeah, I’ll be protected.”
Here’s more on the Heat as they prepare to embark on their post-All-Star schedule:
- While Miami will be focused on securing a top-six postseason seed in the Eastern Conference over the season’s final two months, there will be plenty of other Heat-related stories to watch in the coming weeks, Jackson writes for The Miami Herald. Those subplots include Herro and Norman Powell making their case for offseason extensions and the Heat evaluating whether Nikola Jovic, whose four-year, $62MM rookie scale extension goes into effect in July, can be relied on as a rotation player heading into next season.
- Rookie wing Myron Gardner, who signed a new three-year contract with the Heat this week after spending most of the season on a two-way deal, referred to the promotion as a “dream come true.” Head coach Erik Spoelstra says he’s earned it, per Adam Lichtenstein of The Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “He had to do it the hard way,” Spoelstra said. “We wanted to take a look at him this summer. And then in the summer there were some intriguing things, and preseason was a little bit up and down. And then he just continued to work, and every opportunity he had, either in practice and then eventually in the games, he just made us watch him. And you couldn’t not notice his energy. I mean, it’s relentless, whether he’s just crashing the glass or crashing into people. And it just intrigued us to be able to say, all right, can we develop the fundamentals and the details to be able to harness some of that energy and direct it in a positive way? And he’s been able to do that.”
- With Gardner promoted to the 15-man roster, the Heat’s next developmental project is Trevor Keels, who was signed to a two-way contract to take Gardner’s old spot. Spoelstra raved about the guard’s offensive ability, referring to him as a “sniper,” and suggested he’s committed to improving defensively too. “He has made improvement, and we want to invest more resources and time into that development,” the Heat coach said, according to Jackson. “(He) still has a way to go in terms of getting in Miami Heat shape, but he’s come a long way.”
- Davion Mitchell, Dru Smith, and Kasparas Jakucionis aren’t stars, but the Heat’s point guards all “bring something different” and are “really important to our team,” Spoelstra said on Friday. Writing for the Sun Sentinel (subscription required), Winderman explores the strengths of each player and considers whether there will be room for all of them in the rotation with Herro back.
Heat Notes: Jovic, Jakucionis, Herro, Health, Ware
Head coach Erik Spoelstra says Heat forward Nikola Jovic is working on his comportment when his shot isn’t falling, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. The 22-year-old has been in a season-long slump, with a subpar shooting line of just .370/.272/.687.
“It’s just something to work on and he is,” Spoelstra said of such visible exposure of fading confidence. “He’s working on it and you just want to have that strong face always throughout the course of competition. We like him shooting open shots, being aggressive offensively.
“You can’t control always whether the ball is going to go in or not. His process behind the scenes has been solid the last three weeks. He’s been putting in the time and that’s what you can control. He’s working on it, working on the strong face at all times.”
Jovic downplayed the issue, explaining that he remains internally confident despite how it might look from the outside.
“I think I’m just being true to myself,” he said. “Does it look good? Probably not. But I’m working on it. I think it’s a smart thing from them, telling me that I should maybe look better, and look better for the others, and help. So I’m just working on it. But I don’t think it’s any big issue.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Backcourt injuries have created playing time opportunities for rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who has been trending upward recently despite the team’s struggles, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The 19-year-old had 22 and 20 points earlier this week and has been extremely accurate from behind the arc this season (45.1%), though he has struggled from two-point range (30.4%). “I love Kas, man. He’s such a hard worker,” All-Star guard Norman Powell said. “I mean, he’s doing two, three workouts before shootarounds and before practice. I think the sky is the limit for him, just his approach, his mentality. He’s very mature for his age. He’s very focused and very locked in. I think it shows. He’s been put into the starting lineup when guys have been hurt. He’s been able to play and showcase his ability and why this organization loves him so much. I’m really excited for him.”
- Spoelstra was asked on Wednesday if Tyler Herro (rib injury) would return after the All-Star break, Winderman tweets. “He will be back. Yes, for sure,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t have a timeline exactly of when that will be. We’ll see. We’ll see how he progresses.”
- Miami remains confident that it can recapture the form that led to a 14-7 start to the season, rather than the 15-20 stretch that has followed, according to Chiang. Spoelstra was quick to point out that injuries have been a factor in the team’s inconsistency. “You just look at our defense, our defense is improving,” Spoelstra said. “It’s getting better, we’re third or fourth, depending on the metric you look at. It’s the same thing with our offense. The efficiency isn’t exactly where we need it to be, but we can explode on teams. We’re fourth in scoring. It’s a matter of doing it in those moments of truth when it really matters to push a win. Offensively, I think when we get our guys back, I think we’re going to be a really dangerous offensive team. We can be fourth in the league in scoring with large parts of our rosters on the sideline. Just wait until we get our guys back into the fold.”
- As Winderman notes, Spoelstra has been critical of second-year center Kel’el Ware multiple times this season, particularly after a December loss to Boston. It’s a small sample size, but Ware has fared better in two-big lineups alongside Bam Adebayo recently. “And I appreciate that,” Spoelstra said after Wednesday night’s win. “I also appreciate Kel’el’s process the last three weeks or a month, since whenever that game was, the infamous postgame quote. But his process really improved and you’re going to go through stretches where it’s up and down. But he just came in every day since then, just trying to work on getting better in the shootarounds and practices and film sessions. And it’s translating to the court. It doesn’t always guarantee that it will. But I appreciate his approach of late.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo Rumors: Wolves, Warriors, Heat, More
The Timberwolves are among the most serious suitors for Giannis Antetokounmpo, league sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania reported on Wednesday that the Bucks star is “ready for a new home” and that Milwaukee is showing more willingness than ever to listen to offers for the two-time MVP.
While Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly is one of the NBA’s most aggressive front office executives, it’s difficult to envision Minnesota putting together a package that would appeal to the Bucks. The Wolves don’t have any tradable first-round picks, so an offer would would have to be heavy on player value. With Anthony Edwards off the table, a package would probably start with Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Donte DiVincenzo.
As talented as those players are, none are All-Stars. Plus, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube link) anticipates that the Bucks would be seeking a more draft-heavy return if they end up moving Antetokounmpo.
“They have to prioritize the draft,” Windhorst said. “This year’s draft and their pick situation going forward. Their future is going to be tied to (the) draft.”
Here are several more Giannis-related rumors, a week out from the February 5 deadline:
- The Warriors have contacted the Bucks within the past week to convey their “firm” interest in Antetokounmpo and to make it clear they’re prepared to make a strong offer, reports Anthony Slater of ESPN. While Golden State isn’t actively shopping Jimmy Butler, he would be on the table in a Giannis scenario for salary-matching purposes, according to Slater, who adds that the Bucks have some interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. Milwaukee native Brandin Podziemski could also be a factor in those trade talks, Slater notes.
- Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) considers what the Heat‘s best deadline for offer for Antetokounmpo might look like, suggesting it would probably consist of Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Terry Rozier‘s expiring contract, and Miami’s two tradable first-round picks.
- The Rockets are unlikely to get involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said in the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link). “I have been told that the Rockets will not be bidders,” MacMahon said. “Now, hey, nobody was under oath, but I’ve been told that repeatedly and I’ll say that they’ve got a pretty good track record of shooting me straight.”
- MacMahon also doesn’t anticipate the Spurs being a player for Antetokounmpo. “I have been told by folks with the Spurs, ‘We’re not a home for Giannis,'” he said on the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link). “And there’s been a lot of smoke going back to the summer, but everything in San Antonio is about the (Victor Wembanyama) timeline, and this is a decade past the Wemby timeline when you bring in Giannis at his age.”
- The Thunder have more than enough assets to make a strong offer for Antetokounmpo, but they shouldn’t – and likely won’t – seriously entertain the idea, according to Rylan Stiles of SI.com, who suggests that making a move for a veteran star like Giannis would shorten Oklahoma City’s window of championship contention.
Heat Notes: Jakucionis, Guard Depth, Adebayo, Ware, Rozier
Friday’s loss at Boston was the sixth in the last seven games for the Heat, but they got an encouraging performance from rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscription required). Pressed into duty because of the team’s lengthy injured list, the 20th pick in this year’s draft got his first career start and responded with 17 points in nearly 36 minutes.
“He gives us the energy, the pace. He’s fearless in terms of his play-making, aggressiveness, getting into the paint,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He has really improved his three-point shooting. So that was definitely a bright spot. With Davion (Mitchell) being out, Kas got an opportunity and he really played well.”
Jakucionis has dealt with a bumpy start to his NBA career, caused in part by a sprained left wrist that sidelined him for part of training camp and the preseason, along with a strained right groin that forced him to miss the first seven regular season games. He has been playing mainly in the G League, where he’s averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game with Sioux Falls.
“You never know when the chance is coming, when D-Mitch was out,” Jakucionis said. “I just have to be ready every time they need me, and I’m trying to stay ready every time they need me.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Jakucionis’ potential emergence adds to an extremely crowded backcourt in Miami, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel states in a mailbag column (subscription required). Injuries have been a factor so far, but Jakucionis could eventually be competing for playing time with Mitchell, Norman Powell, Tyler Herro and Dru Smith. Winderman notes that Pelle Larsson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are also used in guard roles, so there could be difficult decisions about playing time if everyone gets healthy.
- Spoelstra experimented with small-ball lineups earlier in the season, but injuries have forced him to rely more on the double-big combination of Bam Adebayo and second-year center Kel’el Ware, Winderman observes in a separate story. The Heat tend to use Ware in drop coverage to protect the rim, while switching on defense more often when he’s not in the game. “I mean, it keeps teams off balance,” Adebayo said. “We’ve got to look at it in a positive way. We keep teams off balance.”
- In another piece, Winderman calls for commissioner Adam Silver to make a decision on what the Heat can do with Terry Rozier‘s contract before the January 7 salary guarantee date and the February 5 trade deadline get any closer.
Heat Notes: Adebayo, Ware, Jakucionis, Wiggins
Bam Adebayo admitted on Friday that he needs to be more efficient. As Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald points out, the Heat big man is shooting just 10-of-23 (43.5%) from inside the arc and 0-of-3 from three-point range in the first two games of the team’s current three-game road trip. He also had three of his shot attempts blocked.
“I got to figure it out,” he said. “I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m accepting accountability. I’ve got to be better. I’m letting my team down, and it’s going to shift. Like I said, it’s going to shift. I’ve been through these times before. A lot of guys go through it. We’ll figure it out.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- On the flip side, Kel’el Ware scored a team-high 24 points and made a career high six three-pointers in a loss to Boston on Friday. “I’m just getting more comfortable out there,” he said. “Playing through the game, playing through the flow.”
- The Heat only had 10 players available, which thrust rookie point guard Kasparas Jakucionis into a bigger role — he made a good impression. In his first NBA start, Jakucionis had 17 points, five offensive rebounds and just one turnover in 35 minutes, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Coach Erik Spoelstra believes the time he spent in the G League proved beneficial. “What I will say is he’s here for a reason right now and not in Sioux Falls,” he said, per Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “I was extremely pleased with his eight games in Sioux Falls. Every game, he got in better game condition. He’s in superior shape, but also more confident. He did things that contributed to winning.”
- Andrew Wiggins‘ name has surfaced in trade rumors but he’s trying to ignore the speculation, Winderman writes. “I try not to think about it. I don’t really go on social media and search my name or anything that has to do with me, so I don’t really hear too much of anything, unless someone comes up and tells me,” he said.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Black, Heat, Butler, Jakucionis
As they go through a full-fledged rebuild, the Wizards are spending big on their support staff and infrastructure, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who says the team has been encouraged by the fact that top prospects in recent years – including Alex Sarr and Ace Bailey – have been enthusiastic about coming to D.C.
Still, with Washington off to a miserable 1-12 start this fall and ranking dead last in the NBA in net rating (-16.1), Josh Robbins of The Athletic wonders whether the club can continue losing at this rate without stunting the growth of its most promising young players. Corey Kispert – a relative veteran at age 26 – offered a thoughtful response when presented with that question, pointing out that there are pros and cons to the situation the Wizards’ young players are in.
“The guys that are in the building now that are first- and second-year players have a much greater opportunity to play a ton more minutes than I ever did my first couple of years,” Kispert said. “That’s for better or for worse, but they can come in and they can play and they can try things and they grow on the floor. And that’s a really big blessing for them, and they should absolutely take advantage of that.
“But what that does impair, I think, is that winning is a skill and learning how to win is a skill. And it’s not something that you can just flip on and off from year to year. That’s something that you have to be taught and you have to practice. Those games where we are in crunch-time situations — like Detroit, for example, a few games ago (on Nov. 10) — that’s a learning opportunity for our young guys to learn how to win and what it takes to close out games.
“I’m really looking forward to these guys getting more opportunities to learn how to win, and I hope that us as vets can teach them that within our practices and within our games, whether it’s a word on the sideline or the way that we play or the way we try to play.”
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Anthony Black has had an up-and-down start to the season, but after scoring single-digit points in five of his previous seven games, the Magic guard contributed 18 points in Sunday’s loss to Houston, then had a season-high 21 in Tuesday’s win over Golden State. Those performances – particularly Tuesday’s – provided a reminder of the former No. 6 overall pick’s ability to raise Orlando’s ceiling, as Robbins writes for The Athletic. “I think A.B. is someone who can impact the game on both sides,” Magic forward Franz Wagner said. “When someone like that has the right energy, it’s really contagious for everybody else. … I think he’s a super-important player for our team. Obviously, with some guys out and him seeing more minutes, we need him to play like that consistently.”
- Wednesday’s game against Golden State will be the Heat‘s first meeting with Jimmy Butler this season after the two sides had an ugly divorce last winter, but Miami’s players and coaches are downplaying that narrative, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “We already have done the game, so how many games do we have to play for it not to be the big storyline?” head coach Erik Spoelstra said, pointing out that Butler visited Miami as a member of the Warriors in March. Bam Adebayo, who is “optimistic” about returning after missing six games with a left big toe sprain, echoed his coach’s sentiment: “You move forward in life. We got a great team playing great basketball, and you want to continue that rather than try to chase a headline.”
- Without a spot in the rotation for first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis, the Heat recently assigned the rookie guard to the G League, where he has already appeared in two games for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Chiang writes for The Miami Herald. Jakucionis is viewing it not as a demotion but as an opportunity to get crucial in-game reps. “I just need live basketball, to be honest,” the 19-year-old said. “… I think it’s good to just be able to come here, play, and the development part is very good. So I think that’s a good thing.”
Heat Notes: Herro, Jakucionis, Rebounding, Butler Deal
Heat guard Tyler Herro returned to practice on Sunday but said he’ll miss at least one more week as he works his way back from September ankle surgery.
As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald observes, Herro could have qualified for a Designated Veteran contract extension — also known as a “super-max” deal — in the offseason if he had made an All-NBA team in 2025/26. However, that will no longer be possible, since the 25-year-old will soon be ineligible for major postseason awards due to the 65-game rule. Herro thinks the rule is “fair,” according to Chiang.
“I mean every year I try to come in with a mindset of playing the most games possible, not necessarily for accolades or anything like that. I just want to be on the floor as much as possible,” Herro said. “That’s what they pay me to do. And last season I had a very healthy season. This season started weird for me, something I couldn’t really control. So once I’m back on the floor again, I’m going to do as much as I can to be out there for every game possible. That’s what I want to do. That’s my goal.”
Herro, who has never made an All-NBA team and would have been a long shot for a Designated Veteran deal anyway, is under contract for a combined $64MM over the next two seasons.
We have more from Miami:
- Both Herro and head coach Erik Spoelstra are confident the seventh-year guard will be a seamless fit in the team’s new uptempo offense, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “That’s easy to figure out,” Spoelstra said of when Herro returns. “His skill level, he’s one of the most skilled guys in the league. It’s going to fit, it’s going to add. We miss him dearly. That offensive talent, play-making, scoring, he can play fast, all of that really fits well.”
- Rookie first-rounder Kasparas Jakucionis missed the first eight games of the season with a right groin strain. While he was available for the November 7 game against Charlotte, he didn’t end up playing and has yet to make his NBA debut. The 19-year-old guard was assigned to Heat’s G League affiliate (the Sioux Falls Skyforce) on Saturday to play a few games before being recalled, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Jakucionis’ first game with the Skyforce didn’t go particularly well, Winderman notes, as he finished with 12 points (on 4-of-15 shooting), seven rebounds, two assists and six turnovers in 22 minutes.
- Defensive rebounding has been issue for the Heat this season, particularly with Bam Adebayo continuing to miss time with his toe injury, Chiang writes for The Herald. “It’s costing us games now,” Spoelstra said following Friday’s loss in New York. “That’s where we are and we’ve said it enough that we have to fix it. We’re being stubborn about it, the things that we need to do better. I feel like we’re fully capable of doing it. Is it easy? Winning is not easy in this league.” While the Heat lost the battle of the boards against the Knicks again on Monday, they did a better job of limiting New York’s second-chance opportunities and pulled out a two-point win.
- In another story for The Sun Sentinel, Winderman evaluates the February trade of Jimmy Butler.
Heat’s Adebayo Out Friday; Jakucionis Available
Heat big man Bam Adebayo underwent an MRI on Thursday and has been diagnosed with a left big toe sprain, as Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relay.
While Adebayo was forced to leave Wednesday’s loss in Denver and will also be out for Friday’s game vs. Charlotte, it doesn’t sound like the three-time All-Star will miss much time beyond that — he’s considered day-to-day moving forward, per Chiang and Jackson.
With Adebayo sidelined, two-way center Vlad Goldin has been recalled from a G League assignment and will be active on Friday against the Hornets, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Another rookie, first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis, will be available as well — it could mark the NBA debut of the former Illinois guard, who missed the first eight games of the season with a right groin strain.
The Heat also announced that Erik Spoelstra will coach Friday in the wake of the fire that severely damaged his home, Chiang and Jackson add. The league’s longest-tenured head coach will address the media before the game.