Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo poised to return from toe sprain

MIAMI — Sometimes the time is just right, which appears to be the case with Bam Adebayo’s recovery from the toe sprain that has sidelined the Heat center the past six games.

With Adebayo during Tuesday’s practice upgraded to questionable for Wednesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors at Kaseya Center, the news came as news to coach Erik Spoelstra.

“Well that’s good to hear,” Spoelstra said when informed at the start of his post-practice media briefing. “I didn’t know that.”

For the Heat, it has been a cautionary process after Adebayo pulled himself during the first quarter of the team’s Nov. 5 road loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Heat have gone 4-2 since.

“He’s had two good practices in a row. There’s stuff behind the scenes. He’s really been putting in the time, the treatment, the active work,” Spoelstra said. “I think it’s been a responsible plan and then we’ll see what the trainers say in the next 24 hours.”

Adebayo said it essentially was a case of the team protecting him from himself.

“You see both sides,” he said of possibly having returned sooner. “Some of it, obviously you feel like you can help. And then the other side, you want to be fully healthy so it doesn’t come back. So you toggle that line.

“And that’s when you turn to the head coach and the training staff. Because they both know I’ll go out there and play regardless. So they got to save me from myself in a sense. So it’s been a hard two weeks.”

Amid the absence, it became even further evident how essential Adebayo is to both the team’s defense and rebounding.

“I mean that shouldn’t be a wonder to people out there,” Spoelstra said of what was lacking amid Adebayo’s absence. “You’re talking about one of the very best two-way players in the game. He’s going to make an impact, and all these things that he does are things that impact winning.”

Kel’el Ware has been starting in place of Adebayo during the absence.

Like Adebayo, guard Tyler Herro also worked at Tuesday’s practice, but remains listed as out as he works back from September ankle surgery.

Wednesday reunion

Wednesday night’s game marks the second time the Heat will face Jimmy Butler since the forward’s trade last season to the Warriors, with the Heat winning last March’s matchup at Kaseya Center.

“We’ll be open to whatever it ends up being,” Spoelstra said, with it uncertain whether Golden State will play its regulars on the second night of the back-to-back set. “But we already have done the game. So how many games do we have to play for it not to be the big storyline?”

Similarly, it will be the second game for Heat forward Andrew Wiggins since he was sent the other way in the deal.

“I feel like I got it out of my system last year,” Wiggins said of the reunion. “But it’s always fun playing against your former team. It’s that competitive spirit, seeing your old guys that you used to fight with, play with on the court.

“I still talk to a lot of the players time to time, coaches time to time.”

Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. said he expects a different feel than last season’s matchup at Kaseya Center.

“Kind of moved on,” he said. “Both guys are enjoying their new time. We’re here, they’re there, and we’re taking it as another game.”

So, no, not a distraction, Adebayo said.

“You kind of block it out. You move forward in life,” he said.

Fine added

The NBA announced Tuesday that the Cleveland Cavaliers have been fined $100,000 for violating the league’s Player Participation Policy in the wake of actions regarding a game last week against the Heat.

The NBA cited the Cavaliers holding out for rest Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, who are both designated as “star” players under the policy, from what nonetheless turned into a Cavaliers victory on Nov. 12 at Kaseya Center.

The policy, which was adopted prior to the 2023-24 season, is “intended to promote participation in the NBA’s regular season.”

Thanksgiving event

The Heat on Tuesday held their 34th Annual Thanksgiving Celebration event at the Miami Rescue Mission.

The event included a block party hosted in collaboration with The Caring Place at Miami Rescue Mission.

At the event featuring Heat players, coaches and executives, 600 Thanksgiving baskets were distributed and 450 hot meals were served.

Additional beneficiaries from the event included Feeding South Florida, Curley’s House of Style Hope Relief Food Bank, SafeSpace, Salvation Army, Amigos for Kids, The Shop at Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Volunteers of America, and others.