Bam Adebayo Upgraded On Heat Injury Report

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Bam Adebayo is listed as probable on the official injury report for the Miami Heat’s game against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, December 29.

The Miami Heat got some good news on the injury front regarding Bam Adebayo.

The center was upgraded to probable on the official injury report for the team’s game against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, December 29. Adebayo missed Miami’s last two contests with back soreness, an injury he has been dealing with since the start of the season.

The All-Star had nine points, 12 rebounds and three assists the last time he played, against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, December 23. He is averaging 18 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 46.6% from the field and 31.4% from three this season. 

The Heat are currently in position to make the NBA Play-In Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. 

Is Bam Adebayo Playing Tonight?

Resting for the last two games seems to have boosted Adebayo’s chances of playing tonight. He told reporters after Miami’s win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, December 27 he needed to remove himself from the lineup preserve his health in the long term

“It just finally got to a point where I had to sit down,” Adebayo said. “Sit and rest. I mean, that’s really what it was. It was one of those nagging injuries. So I finally had to sit down.”

Head coach Erik Spoelstra believes sitting out a couple of games will help Adebayo’s performance, as he’s been trying to play through pain for most of December.

“He really needed this time,” Spoelstra told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “He was dealing with some issues because of overcompensation.”

The probable designation Monday is a positive sign for Adebayo. Miami wouldn’t take any chances with their superstar if he wasn’t feeling 100%. The Heat will likely evaluate him in pregame warmups and then make a final decision on his status. 

Miami Heat Are Getting Healthy

The Heat have been dealing with injuries for most of the season so far, but they are finally getting back to full strength. Pelle Larsson and Nikola Jovic recently returned and played big minutes the last two games in Adebayo’s absence.

The return of guard Tyler Herro could boost the Miami’s offense significantly, but it appears to be a couple of weeks away, at a minimum. The All-Star is dealing with a toe injury, and Spoelstra said there is no timetable for his return. Herro started the year on the mend after offseason ankle surgery and has played in just six games, averaging 23.2 points, five rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field and 40.5% from three.

Colin Capece is an NBA Contributing Writer at Heavy. His work has appeared in The Sporting News, The Dallas Morning News, USA Today and The Arizona Republic, where he covered everything from Caitlin Clark mania to a burgeoning cricket league. Capece received his master’s degree from Northwestern University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. He roots for all the long-suffering New York sports teams. More about Colin Capece