Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Marcus Smart Won’t Play In Game 4

May 23rd, 2022 at 6:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will miss Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday due to swelling in his sprained right ankle, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

It’s a huge blow for the Celtics, who are trying to even the series after losing Game 3 at home. Smart also missed Game 1 of the series, then played heavy minutes in Games 2 and 3.

He racked up 24 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds and three steals in Boston’s 127-102 Game 2 victory while playing 40 minutes. He fouled out after 37 minutes in Game 3 while posting 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four turnovers in 37 minutes.

Center Robert Williams, who missed Game 3 with knee soreness, is listed as available to play by the team, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets. Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith will likely get increased court time in Smart’s absence. White will take Smart’s place in the starting lineup.

As reported earlier, Heat sixth man Tyler Herro is out with a groin injury. Jimmy Butler (right knee inflammation), Kyle Lowry (left hamstring strain), Max Strus (right hamstring strain), P.J. Tucker (left knee irritation) and Gabe Vincent (left hamstring strain) all intend to play after being listed as questionable.

Robert Williams Likely To Play In Game 4

May 23rd, 2022 at 5:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Looking to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics will likely have their starting center back in action. Robert Williams is expected to play in Game 4 tonight, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Williams, a Second Team All-Defensive selection, missed Game 3 due to knee soreness. His defensive presence was missed as the Heat jumped to a 21-point first-quarter lead and shot 46.7% from the field for the game in their 109-103 victory at Boston. Williams played only 20 minutes in Boston’s Game 2 win but had 18 points and nine rebounds in Game 1.

Williams, who underwent knee surgery late in the regular season, only played in the first three games of the conference semifinals against Milwaukee. Boston has gone smaller with Al Horford and Grant Williams manning the power positions a majority of the time against the Heat.

Tyler Herro Out For Game 4; Jimmy Butler Intends To Play

May 23rd, 2022 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat will be missing the Sixth Man of the Year on Monday, announcing today (via Twitter) that Tyler Herro has been ruled out for Game 4 due to his left groin strain. He has previously been listed as questionable.

Although Herro will be unavailable for Monday’s contest, he doesn’t believe his groin injury will be a long-term issue. According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Herro is still feeling some discomfort when he runs, but he’s targeting a Game 5 return on Wednesday.

Miami had also listed Jimmy Butler (right knee inflammation), Kyle Lowry (left hamstring strain), Max Strus (right hamstring strain), P.J. Tucker (left knee irritation) and Gabe Vincent (left hamstring strain) as questionable for Game 4, but all five players appear on track to play, per the team.

The plan is for Butler, Lowry, Strus, Tucker, and Vincent to go through warm-ups with the intent to play, so they’ll be available unless they suffer a setback during their pre-game routines.

Victor Oladipo, who has emerged as a regular part of the Heat’s rotation since midway through the first-round series vs. Atlanta, figures to once again play significant minutes with Herro sidelined. Assuming they get the green light to suit up, Lowry, Strus, and Vincent will also have major backcourt roles as Miami looks to take a 3-1 lead over Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Victor Oladipo Receives Praise After Strong Defensive Showing

May 22nd, 2022 at 7:18pm CST by JD Shaw

Heat guard Victor Oladipo received strong reviews after a dominant defensive performance in Game 3, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Oladipo recorded four steals and forced even more turnovers down the stretch, filling in for the injured Jimmy Butler.

Heat’s Butler, Celtics’ Williams Questionable For Game 4

May 22nd, 2022 at 4:32pm CST by JD Shaw

Heat star Jimmy Butler (knee inflammation) and Celtics center Robert Williams III (knee soreness) are both listed as questionable for Game 4 on Monday night, according to the teams’ injury reports.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Butler plans to play. He missed the second half of Game 3 due to the injury, while Williams missed the entire contest.

The Heat are also listing Tyler Herro (groin strain), Kyle Lowry (hamstring strain), Max Strus (hamstring strain), P.J. Tucker (knee irritation) and Gabe Vincent (hamstring strain) as questionable.

In addition, the Celtics have listed Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) as questionable and Jayson Tatum (right cervical nerve impingement) as probable to play.

Smart and Tatum suffered their injuries during Game 3, leaving the court momentarily before returning a short time later. Miami has been listing Lowry, Tucker, Vincent and Strus on its injury report for quite some time, though Tucker suffered his knee injury this series. He was previously dealing with a calf strain.

Despite missing Butler in the second half, Miami held on to win Game 3 and take a 2-1 series lead. Boston also missed Williams, one of the league’s best interior defenders, as Bam Adebayo finished with 31 points. A Boston win on Monday would tie the series 2-2, while a loss would mean the Celtics have to head back to Miami facing a 3-1 deficit and possible elimination in Game 5 on Wednesday.

Heat Notes: Butler, Strus, Lowry, Adebayo

May 22nd, 2022 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are optimistic about Jimmy Butler‘s status for the rest of the Eastern Conference Finals even though he wasn’t able to play in the second half of Game 3, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters that Butler won’t have to undergo another MRI, but his availability for Monday night hasn’t been determined.

Butler is experiencing inflammation in his right knee, a problem that has plagued him since Game 4 of Miami’s first-round series against Atlanta. Spoelstra said the team’s training staff decided at halftime Saturday that he shouldn’t try to keep playing through it.

“He didn’t have his, like, normal explosive burst,” Spoelstra explained. “He’s been able to manage this. I think the next two days will be really important, obviously. At halftime, really, the trainers made the call. Just feel like we’ve been in this situation a lot with a few of our guys. We almost have to restrain them. We get it, and we love it about them, how they are wired. But we also don’t want to be irresponsible.”

There’s more on the Heat:

One of the biggest shots of the night was hit by Max Strus, a former G League player who was waived by the Celtics in 2019, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. After Boston closed to within a point, Strus drained a three-pointer with 2:16 remaining to swing the momentum back to Miami. He said the play was suggested in the huddle by Kyle Lowry. “In the timeout, Kyle said: ‘Let’s run a pin-down for Max. Let’s get him open,’” Strus said. “So when he said that, I had all the confidence in the world to step up and make a shot. Just shot my normal shot. I got two great screens from Bam (Adebayo) and P.J. (Tucker) and hit a wide-open jumper.”
Although there are health questions about Butler and Tyler Herro, who appeared to suffer a quad injury, the Heat were briefly at full strength on Saturday as Lowry returned from an injured left hamstring, notes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Lowry, who has played 78 total minutes over the past month, had 11 points and six assists and provided a strong defensive presence as Miami built a large early lead.
With Butler unavailable, the Heat got the performance they needed from Adebayo, observes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The big man had a 31-point night, including eight in the fourth quarter to help hold off the Celtics’ rally. “When Jimmy was out in the second half, he just stabilized us,” Spoelstra said. “It got a little gnarly out there and when it did, we were able to get the ball to Bam and just get something coherent.”

Jimmy Butler Leaves Game 3 Due To Knee Inflammation

May 21st, 2022 at 10:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

10:14pm: Butler’s injury isn’t serious and there’s a “strong possibility” he’ll be ready for Monday’s Game 4, a source tells Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The Heat now hold a 2-1 series lead.

9:08pm: Heat forward Jimmy Butler didn’t return to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals after halftime because of inflammation in his right knee, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Butler played nearly 20 minutes in the first half with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. He helped Miami build a 15-point lead at halftime as the team tries to bounce back from a lopsided loss in Game 2. Victor Oladipo started the second half in Butler’s place.

Butler has been the Heat’s leading scorer throughout the playoffs, averaging 29.8 PPG through 12 games, more than double anyone else on the team. He missed Game 5 of the first-round series against Atlanta with the same issue and has been dealing with discomfort in the knee throughout the postseason.

The Celtics had a health scare of their own as Marcus Smart was helped to the locker room with an ankle injury shortly after the second half began, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Smart suffered a sprain but will try to play through it, a source tells Weiss (Twitter link).

Kyle Lowry Intends To Return In Game 3; Robert Williams Unlikely To Play

May 21st, 2022 at 5:22pm CST by JD Shaw

5:22pm: Williams is expected to miss tonight’s game, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

1:03pm: Heat star Kyle Lowry plans to go through his pre-game routine with the intention of returning for Game 3 on Saturday night, head coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).

Spoelstra also confirmed that P.J. Tucker intends to do the same thing, as we previously relayed.

Lowry has missed Miami’s last four games due to a strained hamstring, while Tucker is dealing with a knee contusion. Lowry did return for Games 3 and 4 against Philadelphia last round, but it caused him to re-aggravate the hamstring issue. He originally suffered the injury in Game 3 of the first round against Atlanta.

The Celtics added a player to their injury report for Saturday’s contest, as Robert Williams III (knee soreness) is now questionable to play, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link). Most players listed as questionable during the playoffs wind up being activated – several Heat players have been listed as questionable to this point – but Williams has been dealing with knee issues for quite some time.

The 24-year-old underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus at the end of March. He then suffered a bone bruise in the same knee in Game 6 of the second round, causing soreness and swelling. Williams has averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 24.1 minutes through the first two games this series, shooting 8-of-11 (73%).

Provided he’s healthy and conditioned enough, Lowry should give the Heat a valuable point of attack in its starting unit. He averaged a team-high 7.5 assists per game this season and could help the club push the ball in transition, not giving Boston’s elite defense an opportunity to set up.

Williams has served as one of the best rim protectors in the league this season. He allows the Celtics to play big and slots alongside Al Horford at center, anchoring one of the best defensive groups in recent memory. He’s also been impactful as a lob threat and strong screen-setter. After Game 3, the Heat and Celtics will meet for Game 4 in Boston on Monday night, then will return to Miami for Game 5 on Wednesday.

P.J. Tucker Intends To Play Game 3, Kyle Lowry Questionable

May 20th, 2022 at 11:30pm CST by Luke Adams

11:30pm: Tucker and Kyle Lowry (hamstring) are both listed as questionable for Saturday’s Game 3, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Sources tell Haynes that Tucker was able to avoid an MRI after the swelling in his knee decreased and that he plans to play tomorrow (Twitter link).

7:37am: Heat forward P.J. Tucker, who has been battling minor injuries throughout the postseason, left Thursday’s Game 2 loss to Boston early in the second half due to a left knee contusion and will undergo an MRI on that knee on Friday morning, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

According to Haynes (Twitter link), Tucker sustained the injury in the first quarter and tried to play through it, but was ultimately forced to the sidelines.

As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscriber-only link) writes, Tucker also turned his right ankle in Game 1 and has been dealing with a calf strain since last month. However, he has appeared in all 13 of the Heat’s postseason games to date and has been a key part of the team’s lineup due to his defensive versatility and his ability to knock down three-pointers (48.6% in the playoffs).

The results of today’s MRI will presumably determine if Tucker has to miss any time. Head coach Erik Spoelstra was unable to provide an update after Thursday’s game.

“If you ask him, he says he’s good to go,” Spoelstra told reporters, including Chiang. “We’ll just have to see (on Friday). I’ll talk to the trainers.”

Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges Head All-Defensive Team

May 20th, 2022 at 7:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges, Rudy Gobert, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaren Jackson Jr. comprise the 2021/22 All-Defensive First Team, the NBA announced in a press release.

Smart, who was voted Defensive Player of the Year, received the most points with 198 (99 first-place votes), but he was left off of one voter’s ballot. It’s his third All-Defensive nod, all First Team.

DPOY runner-up Bridges was second with 193 points (it’s his first All-Defensive team), followed by third place finisher Gobert (171), a three-time DPOY who has now been voted to the First Team for the sixth straight season.

Antetokounmpo, the ’19/20 DPOY, was voted to his fourth consecutive First Team. He was also selected to the Second Team in ’16/17, so it’s his fifth nod overall.

Jackson, who led the league in blocked shots per game at 2.27, makes his first All-Defensive Team, edging Bam Adebayo by just one point (153 to 152) for the First Team. It’s the third straight season Adebayo has been selected to the Second Team.

Jrue Holiday earns his fourth All-Defensive honor, now owning two Firsts and two Seconds. He also earned a $120K bonus for his efforts, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link), which will increase the Bucks‘ luxury tax payment to about $52MM.

Matisse Thybulle was selected to the Second Team for the second straight year, while Robert Williams earns his first nod. Williams has a $223,215 bonus attached to his rookie scale extension, but he won’t earn it for his efforts this season because he’s in the final season of his rookie contract. However, the award will change his cap hit for ’22/23 (up to $10,937,502), because he’s now considered likely to achieve an All-D nod again next season, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks relays (via Twitter).

Draymond Green, the ’16/17 DPOY, was the final selection to the Second Team. It’s his seventh All-Defensive Team overall (four Firsts, three Seconds). Green is now second among all active players in All-Defensive Team awards, only trailing Chris Paul (nine). He was previously tied with LeBron James at six.

Here are both All-Defensive teams in full, with their voting point totals noted in parentheses. Players received two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.

2021/22 All-Defensive First Team:

Marcus Smart, Celtics guard (198)
Mikal Bridges, Suns guard (193)
Rudy Gobert, Jazz center (171)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks forward (156)
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies forward (153)

2021/22 All-Defensive Second Team:

Bam Adebayo, Heat forward (152)
Jrue Holiday, Bucks guard (89)
Matisse Thybulle, Sixers guard (87)
Robert Williams, Celtics center (70)
Draymond Green, Warriors forward (34)

A total of 24 other players received votes: 10 guards, 11 forwards and three centers. Among the group that missed the cut, Fred VanVleet was the top guard with 41 points, Evan Mobley was the top forward with 13, and Joel Embiid was the top center with 33. The full results can be found here.

One thing worth noting, which I personally disagree with: media members with ballots are asked to select two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, and vote for players “at the position they play regularly,” which is counterintuitive in the modern NBA, where positions increasingly matter less and less. “Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points,” per the release.

Forcing voters to shoehorn players into positions is a poor process. For example, Adebayo starts at center, but is listed as a forward; Bridges is listed at guard, but starts at small forward. I’m not saying those players were undeserving, far from it — but it’s an irritating and outdated inconsistency.

In my opinion, the best defensive players should be on the All-Defensive teams, regardless of position. I’d also like to see a third All-D team so more recognition is given to players for their efforts on the less glamorous end of the court.