Adebayo out against Pelicans; Butler returns

The Miami Heat’s injury report practically stood as an all-or-nothing proposition Thursday, with the team during the day listing both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo as questionable with knee soreness for Thursday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

It turned into a 50-50 proposition, with Adebayo ruled out and Butler back in the mix.

Butler joined the Heat for the one-game trip prior to the All-Star break after missing the previous two games with right knee inflammation.

Adebayo has been on and off the Heat’s injury report in recent days because of a problematic left knee, listed Thursday with tendinitis.

In addition to the knee issue, Butler missed two games early in the season with an ankle sprain, then missed 10 games in January while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Adebayo’s only missed time this season had been a two-game absence in January due to contact tracing amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the Heat losing both of those road games to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Butler and Adebayo next will have six days to treat their knees, with neither selected for Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game and the Heat not set to play again until a March 11 game against the Orlando Magic at AmericanAirlines Arena.

As has been the case for over a month, neither Avery Bradley (calf ) strain nor Meyers Leonard (season-ending shoulder surgery) made the trip. There had been hope of Bradley returning prior to the All-Star break, based on the initial timetable.

Two-way guard Gabe Vincent continues to play through right knee soreness.