Heat again without three starters for Friday’s game vs. Cavaliers. Also, Hampton off injury list
The Miami Heat remains short-handed.
For the second straight game, the Heat will be without three starters for Friday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Kaseya Center (8 p.m., Bally Sports Sun).
The Heat ruled out starters Bam Adebayo (left hip contusion), Tyler Herro (right ankle sprain) and Haywood Highsmith (lower back contusion) for the contest.
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Heat three-point sharpshooter Duncan Robinson is listed as probable for Friday’s game with a left groin strain. He recorded 21 points, six rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes in Wednesday night’s 112-103 win over the Toronto Raptors.
The good news for the Heat is two-way contract guard R.J. Hampton is no longer on the injury report after missing the last 10 games with a sprained right knee. Hampton, who hurt his knee during a G League practice with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in mid-November, is expected to be available to play for the Heat on Friday.
Adebayo, the Heat’s starting center, will miss his third straight game and sixth game of the season because of a lingering left hip contusion that he initially suffered during the opening week of the season.
Adebayo re-aggravated the injury during the Heat’s Nov. 30 home win over the Indiana Pacers and hasn’t played since. The two-time All-Star is considered day-to-day, but said earlier this week that he has “no idea” when he’ll be back.
The Heat also remains without Herro, who will miss his 14th straight game after spraining his right ankle during a Nov. 8 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Herro is expected to make his return at some point in December.
And Highsmith will sit out his second straight game after re-aggravating a lower back contusion during the Heat’s loss to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
Without Adebayo, Herro and Highsmith in Toronto, the Heat used its league-leading 14th different starting lineup of the season in Wednesday’s win over the Raptors. The Heat opened the game with a lineup of Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin and Orlando Robinson.
The Heat’s bench rotation against the Raptors included Kevin Love, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Josh Richardson and Nikola Jovic. But it was essentially a short three-man bench unit because Jovic only played 3:18.
Already ruled out for Friday’s game, the next opportunity for Adebayo, Butler and/or Herro to return will come Monday against the Hornets in Charlotte.
Heat guard Dru Smith also remains out for the Heat after suffering a season-ending knee injury last month.
The Heat is on track to have 13 of its 17 players available against the Cavaliers. Two-way contract forward Cole Swider re-joined the Heat for Friday’s game after spending time with the Skyforce in the G League.
