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Throughout the opening months of the season, the Miami Heat have impressed. The team finds itself third in the Eastern Conference with a 13-8 record. Unfortunately for the Heat, their path is about to get more challenging.
In a recent report from NBA Insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Miami Heat announced star big man Bam Adebayo has suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb. Adebayo will reportedly undergo surgery, leaving a huge hole in the middle of the Miami Heat rotation.
Bam Adebayo has been one of the major reasons the Miami Heat, which host Cleveland on Wednesday night, are off to an impressive start. In 18 games, Adebayo averaged 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 51.9% from the field. The 24-year-old also made serious strides on defense and was considered a candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
How Long will Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo be out?
It was originally announced a timetable for the return of Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo would be provided after his surgery. According to a recent report from ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the expected timeline on a return for Adebayo is four to six weeks.
It's a tough development when a team that is among the best in the league has to deal with adversity. Unfortunately for the Miami Heat, this involves one of their most important pieces.
The Heat have been one of the most impressive teams this year, as they've shown they can be dangerous on both sides of the floor when the roster is at full health. With the likes of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro all thriving, Adebayo was a piece of the puzzle that made life easier for the rest of the team.
The Miami Heat roster is going to get challenged moving forward. It's not easy to replace a player like Adebayo, who has such a great impact on both sides of the ball.
Veteran center Dewayne Dedmon will most likely have to step up in the rotation, but coach Erik Spolestra could get creative with his lineup during the extended absence of Adebayo.
If the news Adebayo is going to be sidelined isn't bad enough, the Heat also have an upcoming slate of tough games. The team faces the Cleveland Cavaliers (11-10) Wednesday night before a pair of games against the red-hot Milwaukee Bucks (13-8), as well as games against Eastern Conference contenders in the Chicago Bulls (11-10) and Philadelphia 76ers (11-10) on Dec. 15.
It's always tough to deal with crucial injuries throughout the season, and the Miami Heat are going to miss their starting center in a big way. This will be an important couple of weeks for the Heat, as they will want to try to stay on track and attempt to keep their momentum in the Eastern Conference.
Guess the Lakers players!
