There’s encouraging news regarding the status of Miami Heat three-time All-Star center Bam Adebayo.
After missing his first game in nearly three months in Tuesday night’s 136-106 blowout loss to the Hornets in Charlotte because of right calf tightness, Adebayo is listed as probable for Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at Kaseya Center (8 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Sun).
“We want to make sure that he’s feeling good. So we’ll be responsible with it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday when asked about Adebayo’s calf injury. “He’ll continue to do around the clock treatment.”
The Heat played without Adebayo for the first time since Dec. 27 on Tuesday. It marked the ninth game that he has missed this season, ending his string of 36 straight games played.
Without Adebayo, the Heat started second-year center Kel’el Ware in his place on Tuesday. But Ware was quiet as the fill-in center, finishing the Heat’s loss to the Hornets with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field, 0-of-6 shooting on threes and 1-of-2 shooting from the foul line, eight rebounds, one assist and one block while posting a plus/minus of minus 17 in 28 minutes.
The Heat then used 6-foot-6 forward Keshad Johnson as its fill-in backup center on Tuesday. Johnson was one of the few bright spots for the Heat during a rough night, recording 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-9 shooting on threes, five rebounds, one assist, three steals and one block in 20 minutes off the bench.
The Heat is 6-3 in games that Adebayo has missed this season, but it’s clear that Miami is a much better team when he’s available.
The Heat has been outscored by 3.6 points per 100 possessions without Adebayo on the court this season. With Adebayo on the court, Miami has outscored opponents by a dominant eight points per 100 possessions this season.
Adebayo, 28, is averaging 20 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three-point range in his ninth NBA season. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday after his historic 83-point performance last week in a home win over the Washington Wizards.
While Adebayo may return Thursday, Heat sixth man Jaime Jaquez Jr. is listed as questionable for the contest due to left hip tightness. Jaquez, who is averaging 28.6 minutes per game this season, played just 20 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to the Hornets.
The Heat has already ruled out Vlad Goldin (G League), Trevor Keels (G League), Terry Rozier (not with team), Andrew Wiggins (left big toe sesamoiditis) and Jahmir Young (G League).
The Lakers will issue their injury report on Thursday afternoon after taking on the Rockets in Houston in a game scheduled to begin Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. After the game, the Lakers will take a flight and land in Miami early Thursday morning for Thursday’s 8 p.m. contest.
The only Lakers player out for Wednesday’s game against the Rockets is Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain).