The Miami Heat hope to defend home court against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But that task has just become a little more difficult as the latest injury news has come out. But out of all the teams in the NBA, this Heat side is best positioned to withstand the exclusion of any of their players.
It should surprise no one, but when you look at the roster on paper and who is sometimes available on any given night, it can still shock you when the Heat win a game where they appear initially to be entirely outmatched.
But regardless of who is healthy and who’s available at the end of the year, could you see this Heat team coming out of the Eastern Conference in the playoffs?
Miami Heat Learning To Live Without
According to the team press release, Jamie Jaquez Jr. will not be able to play against the Cleveland Cavaliers. His exclusion is due to left knee and ankle issues. However, his ability to go off on any given night and provide something of a mainstay within this roster will be missed. But as stated, this Miami Heat team is as well positioned as any to withstand the loss of any single player.
Therefore, it’s not that the 12.3 points per game or 4.0 rebounds per game will be missed, but instead, it’s just another chance for this team to prove that they can overcome losses within this regular season.
UPDATE: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left knee and ankle discomfort) has been ruled out of tonight’s game vs the Cavs. https://t.co/nrUQcEUzdJ
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 24, 2024
In terms of continuity, there hasn’t been a team that has handled adversity better so far this year. But could the exclusion of this rookie be felt during today’s game? Yes, the Heat have been battling and aren’t particularly deep right now.
Therefore, someone like Jacquez Jr. could be missed, especially as the second half wears on. But considering the injuries on the side for the Cleveland Cavaliers, most would still pick this Miami Heat team to be able to overcome them.
Available Players Ready To Step Up as Always for the Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler should see his workload not even be increased. He has led this team through thick and thin and is likely to be a consistent force. Additionally, bench production is not likely to fall off too much, especially with Cole Swider coming off a 14-point performance. Swider can provide some of the three-point shooting and spacing in an increased role.
Additionally, the Miami Heat have Bam Adebayo, who’s playing well this year. Therefore, when you consider again how injured and beaten up the Cavs team is, this should still be relatively comfortable at home for this Miami Heat team.
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