Adebayo out, Richardson returns vs. Bucks. Also, a look at new Heat court for in-season tourney

The Miami Heat is getting one player back, but will be missing another for the final game of its three-game trip.

The good news for the Heat is guard Josh Richardson re-joined the team in Milwaukee and will be available for Monday night’s matchup against the Bucks at Fiserv Forum after spending the first two games of the trip rehabbing in Miami.

Richardson, who missed the first three games of the season because of a right heel injury, was upgraded from doubtful to questionable before eventually being available for Monday’s game.

“He really had been making good progress back at home working around the clock at our facilities,” Spoelstra said Monday morning when asked about Richardson’s status.

The bad news for the Heat is starting center Bam Adebayo will miss Monday’s matchup against the Bucks because of a left hip contusion he sustained during Saturday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It marks the first game Adebayo has missed this season.

“It was during the Minnesota game,” Spoelstra said of when Adebayo’s injury happened. “He took that hard spill and then when we got into town yesterday it was pretty sore and it didn’t get much better today.”

In addition to missing Adebayo, the Heat will also be without wing Caleb Martin, who is missing his third straight game on Monday because of lingering left knee tendinosis that has limited him since training camp. Martin appeared in the season opener, but has not played since and is listed as doubtful for the Heat’s game against the Bucks.

“We just want to see him moving the way we’re accustomed to see him moving,” Spoelstra said. “So to me, it’s not a tough decision. I know it’s grueling for him. He wants to be out there, he knows he can compete and have an impact. But again, it’s not something major serious right now. But it is nagging and we want to make sure we take care of it.”

Heat forward Haywood Highsmith also remains out because of a sprained left knee. He has not played yet this season after injuring his knee during the preseason but is scheduled to be re-evaluated this week.

With Adebayo, Martin and Highsmith out, the Heat has 14 players available on Monday against the Bucks.

SEEING RED

The NBA on Monday unveiled the official courts that all 30 teams will play on during the inaugural in-season tournament, which begins this week.

The Heat’s in-season tournament court, which will be used for any group play and quarterfinal games played at Kaseya Center, is painted red from edge to edge with an image of the NBA cup that will be awarded to the in-season tournament champion at center court.

“I like it. I think it’s unique,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said when shown the team’s red in-season tournament court following Monday’s shootaround. “It’s different than a regular court and the games that we’re playing are different too. So I think it goes hand in hand.”

Richardson added: “It’s interesting, for sure. It’s bright. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a court that bright before. So it should be interesting.”

The Heat will play on this new court for the first time when it opens group play for the in-season tournament on Friday against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center. The Heat’s second and final home group play game is on Nov. 28 against the Bucks.

The Heat’s two road group play games are Nov. 14 against the Hornets in Charlotte and Nov. 24 against the Knicks in New York.

Whether the Heat advances to the knockout quarterfinal round of the in-season tournament will be determined by how it fares in group play.