The Miami Heat aren't exactly playing great basketball early on in 2022-23 with a 7-9 record. To make matters worse, they're dealing with a ridiculous amount of injuries at the moment. With their two-game losing streak in danger of becoming three on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team will be without a flurry of different players here, including Jimmy Butler, Victor Oladipo, Tyler Herro, and Udonis Haslem, while several others are questionable.
“Tyler Herro again out for Heat on Sunday. Adebayo upgraded to questionable. Also questionable: Dedmon, Vincent, Dedmon. Duncan Robinson is listed as doubtful. Butler, Yurtseven, Haslem, Oladipo also out.”
Winderman reported earlier on Saturday that Jimmy Buckets isn't even traveling with the Heat because he's getting his knee injury looked into. Miami literally had seven players available on Friday night in a gritty 107-106 loss to the Washington Wizards in overtime. Gabe Vincent practiced post-game to give them the required eight players, but he didn't take the floor come tip-off.
Rookie Nikola Jovic got his first NBA start and really impressed, scoring 18 points in 30 minutes of action while also grabbing six rebounds. More importantly, we saw the Kyle Lowry of his Toronto Raptors days. The guard erupted for 24 points, 15 assists, and 10 boards.
Herro hasn't played since November 4th because of an ankle injury but there was a chance he'd return on Sunday. It's clear he's not far off suiting up again. While the Cavs are struggling at the moment, it will be a difficult task for the Heat Sunday with such a thin rotation. Perhaps they can put up another respectable fight and come out on the winning end this time.
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