Bam Adebayo goes down, Heat unable to slow down Nikola Jokic and Nuggets
The Miami Heat returned to a venue that has long been difficult for them, hoping to secure their first regular season victory in Denver since 2016. Ahead of the game, Kasparas Jakucionis was cleared to possibly make his NBA debut, offering a small spark to the roster's injury-hit rotation.
However, the night quickly took a downturn. Bam Adebayo suffered a left foot injury in the first quarter while setting a screen for Norman Powell. After limping off, he headed to the locker room and did not return.
Major takeaways from the game
- Following Adebayo’s departure, attention shifted to Miami’s limited frontcourt options. Head coach Erik Spoelstra attempted to manage Kel’el Ware’s minutes against Nikola Jokic, but with few alternatives, he had to rely on the rookie’s energy on both ends.
- Ware showed effort in fronting Jokic and challenging possessions, yet the Heat struggled on the boards. Denver dominated early, pulling in 14 offensive rebounds to Miami’s single effort in the first half.
- Once Ware needed rest, Spoelstra had no other true bigs available. Two-way player Vlad Goldin was with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, leaving Keshad Johnson to fill in as a small-ball center.
"Fourteen offensive rebounds for Denver compared to one for Miami in the first half pretty much tells the story."
The combination of thin depth, rebounding struggles, and Adebayo’s early exit left Miami unable to match Denver’s physicality or slow down Nikola Jokic’s dominant inside presence.
Author’s Summary
Miami’s hopes in Denver faded after Bam Adebayo’s foot injury, exposing the team’s lack of frontcourt depth as Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets controlled the boards and tempo throughout the game.