Suspensions, injuries leave Heat short-handed
The Heat was without a chunk of its roster Monday night against the Sacramento Kings because of suspensions and injuries.
Along with not having Jimmy Butler, Thomas Bryant and Nikola Jovic because of league-issued suspensions stemming from Friday’s fight in New Orleans, the Heat was also without others because of injuries.
The Heat ruled out
Tyler Herro (left knee hyperextension), Josh Richardson (right shoulder dislocation), Terry Rozier (right knee sprain) and Dru Smith (season-ending right knee surgery).
Butler and Jovic served one-game suspensions because of their roles in Friday’s fight. But they are both expected to be available Tuesday against the Trail Blazers in Portland (10 p.m., Bally Sports Sun) on the second night of the road back-to-back set.
Bryant served the first game of a three-game suspension for fighting. The next game Bryant will be eligible to play is Saturday against the Utah Jazz at Kaseya Center.
Herro slipped and hyperextended his left knee in Friday’s win. An MRI on
Sunday revealed no structural damage. Herro is considered day-to-day.
Rozier continues to move closer to his return, but he missed his fourth straight game Monday. He’s taken part in recent practices and shootarounds, and his return appears to be imminent, possibly as soon as Tuesday at Portland.
“When you see guys go down like that in each case — Terry basically had to be carried off and Tyler was walking off gingerly — you’re just hoping for the best for them and then you just wait,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after shootaround Monday. “I hate that. Those are the longest days when you’re waiting for the results from an MRI. But all things considered, we’re really encouraged by the results for both of them. They’ll be day-to-day and we’ll figure it out.”
Richardson missed his fourth straight game Monday after dislocating his right shoulder. He’s not expected to return during the current trip, which ends with Thursday’s NBA Finals rematch against the Nuggets in Denver.
Also, Heat center Orlando Robinson was questionable for Monday’s game with lower back spasms.