Is Bam Adebayo playing tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans? | 2021-22 NBA season

Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat against the Utah Jazz
Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat against the Utah Jazz

The Miami Heat might have to continue moving forward without the services of their star center Bam Adebayo. The Heat concluded their Western Conference road trip against the OKC Thunder in their last game, and are now at home to face the New Orleans Pelicans.

Bam Adebayo is one of a handful of star centers in the league. The NBA is run mostly by guards and wings, and the days of big men dominating the paint are over. He is the sole paint presence for the Miami Heat, and is the only one who could slow down Jonas Valanciunas of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Bam Adebayo is averaging 19.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, all career-highs. He has dropped 20+ points in six of the 12 games he has played, and has recorded a double double in eight games, with double-digit rebounding.

His assist averages have taken a massive dip, from 5.4 dimes per game last season to 2.7 this campaign. But that is mainly because of an elite point guard like Kyle Lowry joining the team.

Nevertheless, fans will be eager to know Bab Adebayo's status for the game against the New Orleans Pelicans.


What is Bam Adebayo's status for tonight's game against the New Orleans Pelicans?

Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball up the floor.
Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball up the floor.

Bam Adebayo is officially listed as questionable for the game against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight, due to a bruise in his left knee. He is one of several players who are listed on the injury report for the Miami Heat, and his absence could lead to an upset on the night.

Jimmy Butler (ankle), Dewayne Dedmon (groin) and Marcus Garrett (wrist) are all listed as questionable, alongside Bam Adebayo. Meanwhile, Markieff Morris and Victor Oladipo continue to be sidelined, as they are healing from their respective injuries. Morris hasn't played a game since the neck incident with Nikola Jokic, while Oladipo is still rehabilitating from surgery.

Jimmy Butler is arguably the biggest name on the injury report. So if he doesn't lace up, the burden of the team will fall on Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro along with the role players. Adebayo's replacement at the center position is Dewayne Dedmon, but he is questionable as well. So the frontcourt depth is a major concern for the Heat for tonight's game.

Adebayo did not play in the Heat's last game against the OKC Thunder. He has missed just two games so far in the season, and his status for tonight's game was upgraded from out to questionable.


When will Bam Adebayo return?

Bam Adebayo is listed as questionable, so there is a possibility he might lace up tonight itself, given the lack of frontcourt depth in the Heat roster. However, the bottom-table New Orleans Pelicans might not pose much of a threat to Erik Spoelstra, so he could ask Adebayo to take another night off.

Bam Adebayo will likely return in the Heat's next game against the Washington Wizards for a two-game mini-series.


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Edited by Bhargav