MIAMI — The math problem was evident to almost all even before the subtraction of Bam Adebayo in the first quarter of Wednesday night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.

When it comes to the center position with the Miami Heat, there previously wasn’t much there in the first place. After Adebayo hobbled off and into the locker room at Ball Arena, there was even less, practically a last man standing.

Now the question becomes whether Erik Spoelstra’s team can measure up as Adebayo’s left foot is assessed, with those tests on Thursday.

In the wake of Adebayo being limited to only the first 8:12 of what turned into a 122-112 loss, veteran guard Norman Powell acknowledged the reality of a team that went into the season with only Adebayo and second-year Kel’el Ware considered options at center.

“We only got two, true — I mean Bam’s not a true center — guys that can play the five on this team,” Powell said. “So him going down, we’ve got to go small ball a lot. So it’s definitely tough.”

How tough? The Heat not only were outrebounded 61-38 Wednesday night, but were pulverized 21-5 on the offensive glass.

At times, it was lithe Nikola Jovic at center. At other times, undersized Keshad Johnson.

But even with Ware manning the middle for 27:10 in what turned into a 13-point, 13-rebound effort, each of the Heat’s options in the middle was practically swatted aside by the bulk and brawn of Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who closed with 13 points, 16 assists and 15 rebounds.

For Adebayo, it was a matter of not exacerbating the issue.

“A guy hit me in the back of the leg and then I felt the pain in my foot,” Adebayo said of the play in question. “So I took it upon myself to check myself out and go see what happened.”

Jokic said there is no denying Adebayo’s importance to the Heat.

“I have huge respect for him,” Jokic said. “Every possession he’s playing 100%, sometimes even more than that. They definitely needed him on both sides of the floor.”

In the short term, the Heat potentially could look to support from undrafted 7-foot rookie Vlad Goldin, who had been scheduled to debut Friday with the Heat’s G League team.

“We’ll figure that out. We have time,” Spoelstra said before leaving Denver and returning home to the devasting fire that destroyed the Coral Gables home he owns.

Actually, time is limited, with the Heat hosting the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night and then hosting the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Additionally, roster flexibility also is limited, with the Heat currently lacking the needed space under the punitive luxury tax to add a big man to the standard roster. That is among the reasons Precious Achiuwa was cut at the end of the preseason, now having moved on to the Sacramento Kings.

So that could mean, after being moved to the second unit two games ago, a case of make or break with Ware.

“Be ready when your name is called,” Ware said in Wednesday night’s postgame locker room, now possibly again with the starters.

Powell said having Ware ready has been his ongoing focus.

“I’m staying on him,” Powell said. “I told him when I first got here, I’m going to be on him all year. I’m trying to unlock the greatness in him, along with everybody here.

“Everybody has great belief in him, in what he’s able to do, his capabilities on the offensive and defensive end. So I’m going to stay in his ear. I’m going to stay pushing him. I’m not going to let him settle.”

Based on the Heat’s current position against the luxury tax, they would have the space below the tax to add another player to the roster in mid-December. They also could make a short-term move for a big man, and then push adding that balance-of-the-season player until later in the season.

For now, Powell said the focus has to be on rebounding from the just-completed 1-3 trip, even after nearly fighting back within striking range late against the Nuggets.

“It’s all about bouncing back,” Powell said. “The great thing about this league is we have more games to correct. I like the fight that we had, though. With guys out, guys having to step up, playing, competing, scrapping, fighting.

“Now we just got to put it together with everybody back. I mean, with Bam going down, we still got to step up again. But collectively that’s how it’s going to get done.”