With Bam Adebayo still out, Heat’s Orlando Robinson still working to make most of opportunity

Orlando Robinson knows his far from a finished product. So when the second-year center began this season out of the Miami Heat’s rotation, he took a productive approach.

“I just accepted it,” Robinson said, as Thomas Bryant opened the season as the Heat’s backup center behind starting center Bam Adebayo. “I just took the time to understand that I need to work on some things. In that time Thomas was playing over me, I was just watching him and just watching what we needed as a team. And I was just focusing on my weaknesses and trying to get them better.”

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Robinson (6-10, 236) worked to strengthen his game in preparation for an opportunity like the one currently in front of him, as Adebayo (left hip contusion) will miss his fourth straight game when the Heat (12-10) takes on the Hornets (7-13) in Charlotte on Monday (7 p.m., Bally Sports Sun). Robinson, 29, has made three straight starts in place of the injured Adebayo and could make his fourth consecutive start for Adebayo on Monday against the Hornets during the Heat’s single-game trip.

Robinson, who went undrafted out of Fresno State last year, played in just four of the Heat’s first 18 games this season before stepping in as the Heat’s fill-in starting center with Adebayo out. Robinson even played in two games with the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in late November before Adebayo’s injury pushed him into Miami’s rotation.

“He makes you absolutely respect his fortitude and his grit,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Robinson. “He is relentless with his work, with his approach, with his commitment to earn trust from everybody and he does it with a competitive spirit. He gets better each month.

“He goes to school on everything. If he makes a mistake in any kind of game, he gets to work with the film, with [Heat assistant coach] Malik [Allen] and then he wants to drill it 10,000 times, which is what we love.”

Robinson hasn’t been perfect while serving as Adebayo’s replacement in the Heat’s starting lineup, but his growth on both ends of the court has flashed.

Robinson, 23, recorded the first double-double of his NBA career in Wednesday’s road win over the Toronto Raptors with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 shooting on threes and 3-of-3 shooting from the foul line to go with a career-high 12 rebounds. He also finished with four assists, three steals and one block.

But there have also been moments for Robinson to learn from, like in Friday’s home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers when the Cavaliers scored at an ultra-efficient rate of 132.5 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the court. Robinson closed the defeat with a plus/minus of minus 18 in 20 minutes.

“He’s trying his best to make everybody happy and that’s so difficult to do because he’s probably being directed in multiple directions,” Heat star Jimmy Butler said when asked about Robinson. “For sure from me, whether it be from Duncan [Robinson], from Kyle [Lowry] or even from the coaches and he’s trying to do right by everybody.”

Duncan Robinson, who was once in the same position as an undrafted free agent trying to prove he deserved a spot in the Heat’s rotation, pointed to Robinson’s first NBA double-double as an important milestone in his career.

“So much goes into it behind the scenes,” Heat three-point shooting forward Duncan Robinson said when asked about the other Robinson’s situation. “Sacrifice, having opportunities and not taking advantage of them the way you want, having to deal with that and internalize that, keep working, stay at it. ... I’m just happy for him, man. It’s little moments like that that can be kind of reference points in a young career that you can call back on, build confidence from and just keep pushing.”

Robinson is playing on a standard NBA contract this season after spending his rookie year last season on a two-way deal with the Heat. With $850,000 of his $1.8 million salary for this season already guaranteed, his full salary for this season will be guaranteed if he’s still on the Heat’s roster on Jan. 10.

“I would just say understanding how we play and how we play good,” Robinson said when asked where he has improved the most since the season began. “I feel like when we run and we’re a fast-paced team, teams can’t load up and guard us and we’re a very hard team to guard. So just coming to that understanding and just focusing on that. When I get in the game, I feel like I’ve learned our pace and where we’re good at as a team.”

Robinson has also become a better offensive player without the ball in his hands after playing as the focal point of Fresno State’s offense in college. He has improved as a screener and three-point shooter during his time in the Heat’s developmental system.

“My confidence is growing in playing off the ball,” he said. “Last year, I was trying to figure it out. But now I kind of understand the role more and understand how I can impact the game in different ways offensively. … I’m trying to impact the game, whether it be cuts, spacing the floor, just all kinds of things.”

On the other end of the court, Robinson has worked hard to become a better defender despite his perceived lack of top-end athleticism. Used primarily in drop coverage, he has studied Adebayo’s elite defensive tactics in hopes of improving his pick-and-roll defense.

“I want to be just as good as Bam [on defense], damn near,” he said. “That’s my goal. I made him my goal, so that’s what I focus on. Just trying to get to that point, honestly.”

When Adebayo eventually returns, Robinson may again find himself out of the Heat’s rotation. Adebayo is unquestionably the starting center and Kevin Love has established himself as the backup center in recent weeks.

But this stretch of consistent playing time is important for Robinson, however long it lasts.

“I knew,” Robinson said, dismissing the notion that he needs this stretch to prove to himself that he can be an NBA-level rotation player. “It was just waiting on the opportunity and making the most of it.”

INJURY REPORT

The Heat will play without three usual starters for the third straight game on Monday against the Hornets, as Adebayo (left hip contusion), Tyler Herro (right ankle sprain) and Haywood Highsmith (lower back contusion) have already been ruled out.

The Heat also remains without Dru Smith (season-ending ACL injury).

But Adebayo did travel with the team to Charlotte for Monday’s contest, which is an encouraging sign. Herro, Highsmith and Smith did not make the trip.

In addition, the Heat sent RJ Hampton and Nikola Jovic to the Sioux Falls Skyforce for a G League assignment.

The Hornets ruled out Amari Bailey (G League), LaMelo Ball (right ankle sprain), Leaky Black (G League), Cody Martin (left knee injury recovery) and Frank Ntilikina (left tibia non-displaced fracture) for Monday’s game against the Heat. Nick Smith Jr. (right foot sprain) and Mark Williams (low back contusion) are listed as doubtful.