Butler expected to play, but Adebayo ruled out. Here’s Heat injury report vs. Rockets

The Miami Heat needed to play without star Jimmy Butler in Wednesday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. On Thursday night, the Heat will take on the Houston Rockets without Butler’s co-star Bam Adebayo.

Butler is expected to play Thursday after sitting out Wednesday’s contest as part of the Heat’s injury management plan for his right knee. But Adebayo will miss Thursday’s matchup against the Rockets at Toyota Center on the back end of the back-to-back set because of a sprained left ankle.

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Adebayo, who spoke about the pain and soreness he felt following Wednesday’s win, recorded 15 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes against the Thunder. Thursday marks the third game that he has missed this season.

Along with ruling out Adebayo, the Heat will also be without Dewayne Dedmon (left foot plantar fasciitis), Kyle Lowry (rest), Victor Oladipo (left knee injury management), Gabe Vincent (left knee effusion) and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle surgery) for Thursday’s game in Houston on the second night of the back-to-back.

Dedmon has been battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot for most of the season, Oladipo just recently returned from left knee tendinosis that forced him to miss the first 24 games of the season, and Lowry has carried a heavy workload this season while others have been injured. Vincent and Yurtseven are not with the Heat on the trip.

The 10 available Heat players expected to be available against the Rockets are Butler, Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic, Jamal Cain, Udonis Haslem, Haywood Highsmith and Orlando Robinson.

Cain and Jovic, who were spending time with Miami’s G League affiliate, rejoined the Heat in Houston for Thursday’s game against the Rockets to help provide depth to a short-handed roster.