Miami Heat Injury Report (Dec 13): Latest update on Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo's availability
The Miami Heat will face the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, December 13. Erik Spoelstra will be without Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, and Dru Smith due to injury. However, the Heat will be buoyed by their recent win over the Hornets, which occurred on Monday, December 11.
The Heat will have Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and Duncan Robinson available, which should ensure they have enough veteran talent and experience to help them overcome a tough matchup against a young Hornets team.
Charlotte won't be at full strength, either. They're missing LaMelo Ball, Frank Ntilikina, and potentially Mark Williams. Without LaMelo in the rotation, the Hornets will be lacking the star spark they need to unlock defenses in the halfcourt, which could give Spoelstra's team an opportunity to play some lockdown defense.
Furthermore, Charlotte's defensive shortcomings will give the Heat reason to push the pace and lean into their offensive upside. The Hornets currently rank 29th in the NBA for defensive rating, with only the Washington Wizards performing worse.
As such, Jimmy Butler can expect to play a significant offensive role for the Heat, as they look to take advantage of any missed rotations or poor closeouts on the perimeter.
What happened to Bam Adebayo?
Bam Adebayo is currently dealing with a hip contusion. The All-Star big man originally suffered the injury when facing the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 28. He then re-aggravated the issue during the Heat's November 30 victory over the Indiana Pacers and has been on the sidelines ever since.
Miami will likely be cautious with Adebayo's recovery. It's better to have him missing games in December than it is when the postseason begins. However, there will likely be a growing concern, considering this is his second spell on the sidelines with the same issue.
How does Bam Adebayo usually do against the Charlotte Hornets?
Bam Adebayo has played in 22 games against the Charlotte Hornets throughout his career. The impressive big man is averaging 16.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Miami likes to use Adebayo as an offensive hub, initiating actions on the elbows and creating havoc in the mid-range area to counter the team's drop coverage on screening actions.
Adebayo will likely be with the Heat in their upcoming game against Charlotte but will be observing the game in street clothes. As such, Charlotte will avoid facing a player who has a history of impressive performances against their team.