Butler, Nunn out against Suns
The Miami Heat will be without Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn for Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns at Disney World, with guard Goran Dragic listed as questionable.
The Heat also will remain without second-round pick KZ Okpala, but guard Gabe Vincent, who missed Thursday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks with knee soreness, has been upgraded to probable.
Butler, after playing the Heat’s first two games of their eightgame seeding schedule — a victory over the Denver Nuggets and a loss to the Toronto Raptors — has since missed Tuesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics and then Thursday’s loss to the Bucks. The Heat’s next game after Saturday is Monday night against the Indiana Pacers.
“No new update,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday of Butler and Dragic after his team worked on a makeshift court at a Disney ballroom. “The status is the same. Both were here.”
Butler was not available for comment following practice, but Dragic, who is dealing with a sprained left ankle, addressed his situation. He limped off in the closing seconds Tuesday against the Celtics and then missed the Milwaukee game.
“I mean, I was a little bit concerned [because] it was painful,” he said Friday in his first comments since the injury. “I did it twice in that game, so that’s why I think the second one was so painful. Then when I walked it off a little bit, it felt better.
“It’s day by day. Today I started shooting a little bit. It’s a little bit sore, but it’s going to the right direction.”
Dragic declined to rule himself out for Saturday, instead planning on an additional workout.
“I’m not sure yet,” he said. “I’m still coming back to this gym and test it a little bit. I just want to be smart and see how my ankle is going to react. We’ll see.”
Nunn has missed three previous games this season, with the Heat 1-2 when he was out in late January due to Achilles soreness. He had not missed a game since then, having started all 66 of his appearances this season.
Nunn left the NBA’s quarantine bubble due for personal reasons not related to COVID-19. He must clear NBA quarantine protocol upon his return, likely sidelining him for several games.
Okpala remains with the Heat at Disney but is listed as out for a second consecutive game due to personal reasons.
After what he termed a “mental work
day” Friday in the quarantine setting of the NBA’s bubble at Disney World, Spoelstra addressed the uneven start during his team’s schedule of seeding games by starters Nunn and Bam Adebayo as a factor of the time the two missed in July.
In addition, Spoelstra discussed his “tough decision” in removing former starting center Meyers Leonard from his rotation.
Spoelstra said it is a work in progress with Adebayo and Nunn. Both tested positive for COVID-19 last month and were unable to join teammates for two weeks. Now Nunn will miss additional time.
“He just needs more time,” Spoelstra said of Nunn, “very similar to Bam. I’m not making excuses for either one of ’em. But when you miss that kind of time, it takes guys different amount of five-on-five and games and practices to regain your rhythm.”
Adebayo was candid about his uneven play.
“Mentally I feel like I’m ready,” he said. “Physically, my body says otherwise sometimes.”
With Leonard, Spoelstra said it has been a difficult decision.
“These are tough decisions,” Spoelstra said. “I think, in a perfect world, I wanted to go with that lineup. That lineup was one of the most successful lineups all season long.
“And look, the reality is we’re in a global pandemic, playing in a bubble in Orlando. Nothing is normal, and I had to treat this situation with an open mind.
“And I don’t love having to make those decisions because Meyers is not only just a great team guy, he’s all about team dynamics. He’s selfless, but more importantly he helped us win.
“This is what we feel is best for us right now, but I’m open to change if necessary, and he’s on my mind every day. But his approach has been great. He will keep himself ready, I know that.”