As the Miami Heat prepare to take on the Detroit Pistons in a rematch from Friday night, the team comes in with a sizable injury report filled with key players. The Heat took a 108-95 win the last go around to bring the season series to 3-0 where they snapped a four-game losing streak, but for the matchup Sunday afternoon, they could be without star players like Jimmy Butler.
When it comes to Butler, the Heat star is listed as “questionable” with a “right foot contusion” as announced by the team's X (formerly known as Twitter) account Saturday. On the season for Miami's featured component, he has been averaging 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the field.
#MIAvsDET INJURY UPDATE: Nikola Jovic (right hamstring stain), Tyler Herro (foot) & Kevin Love (heel) have all been ruled out of tomorrow's game vs the Pistons.
Jimmy Butler (right foot contusion) is listed as questionable.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 16, 2024
He had a relatively quiet game against Detroit on Friday where he scored 14 points while collecting four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. It could have been because of the foot contusion, which is an area of injury that has impacted the absence of Butler before earlier in the season.
With 16 games left in the regular season, the Heat desperately need Butler for crucial games down the stretch, but in a game where one is facing the Pistons who only have 12 wins, there is a possibility he doesn't play Sunday. Fans have been aching for “Playoff Jimmy” to come around, but there is a possibility they will have to wait a little bit longer.
Others join Butler on the Heat's injury report
The other key Heat player that will be officially out for Sunday afternoon's game will be Nikola Jovic who is currently dealing with a right hamstring strain. He has been a crucial piece to the Heat as he has been in the starting lineup 24 total times and a lot recently as the power forward next to Bam Adebayo.
The 20-year old adds size to the team as the four spot was usually filled with players like Haywood Highsmith or Caleb Martin, but Jovic has been a mainstay in the starting lineup as of recent and should be crucial once he comes back fully healthy. However, Sunday will look different and the starters will likely include one of the previous names mentioned.
So far this season, Jovic has been averaging 6.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field. With the Heat already missing Kevin Love, the size of the team will be hampered against the Pistons.
Tyler Herro, Kevin Love still out; Bam Adebayo, Caleb Martin on report
Butler and Jovic are the new additions to the injury report as they join Love and Tyler Herro who will be missing their ninth and 11th game Friday respectively. Love is still dealing with a right heel bruise that he suffered on Feb. 27 when the Heat beat the Portland Trail Blazers.
For Herro, it was reported on Saturday by Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald that he received a “platelet-rich plasma injection” Friday to his foot and should be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. His specific injury is listed as “right foot medial tendinitis” which has been the area that has bothered him since the beginning of the season on top of a hyperextended knee that he is clear from. His last game was on Feb. 23 in the Heat's win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Other players listed on the injury report that Heat fans should not worry about include star Bam Adebayo who is with a lower back contusion, but is listed as “available” for the rematch against the Pistons. Caleb Martin is also on the NBA's official injury report with a left thump sprain, but is also available for Sunday.
With 16 games left in the season, the Heat are hoping to be fully healthy as soon as possible as they are 36-30 on the season, which puts them seventh in the Eastern Conference.
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