Miami Heat Without Leading Scorer Against Cleveland Cavaliers

As this last stretch of the season becomes crucial for trying to get out of the Play-In Tournament for the third straight season, the Miami Heat’s injury list has only gotten longer.

Their leading scorer, Tyler Herro, has been ruled out against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to a head cold.

The Heat already lost Nikola Jovic, Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Dru Smith, and Kel’el Ware. Without Herro, they will lose three players from their starting lineup.

They can still make the most of this night by giving Pelle Larsson more playing time after his best game of the season against the Washington Wizards. The Heat also brought up three G-League players: Keshad Johnson, Josh Christopher, and Isaiah Stevens.

MIAMI HEAT’S BAM ADEBAYO GOES FROM “DEVELOPMENTAL” PLAYER TO RECORD BOOKS

Rony Seikaly, the Miami Heat’s first-ever draft pick, has held one of the franchise's longest-standing records for 30 years.

This was until Bam Adebayo broke it in a dominant victory against the Washington Wizards.

Adebayo finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists on 43.8 percent shooting and missed both three-point attempts.

Without Kel’el Ware and four other key rotational players, Adebayo could collect all the rebounds for himself and pass Seikaly with 222 total double-doubles. Seikaly still holds a few records for the Heat, such as his Mar. 3 34-rebound performance, which is the most in franchise history.

After the game, Adebayo reflected on his remarkable accomplishment on a record-breaking night.

“Like I said, I always wanted to be first on something in this organization,” Adebayo said. “I’m not done yet. It’s great that Rony Seikaly was here to see me pass his record. I have been trying to break that record for three games at this point. It just had to happen when Rony Seikaly was on air. That ain’t nothing but God and the universe lining up for me.”

Seikaly also shared his thoughts on Adebayo’s accomplishments and the great start to his career after the game.

“I just think he’s your prototypical player that every team needs that’s kinda the glue that does all the work,” Seikaly said. “He works hard, doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, and doesn’t really need the ball to be successful in a team game. Those guys are a lot harder to find than guys who require the ball or attention.”

HEAT VS WIZARDS TAKEAWAYS: MIAMI HEAT BACK IN WIN COLUMN WITH BLOWOUT VICTORY

The Miami Heat (29-31) took care of business against the Washington Wizards (11-49) 106-90.

Here’s a look at four major takeaways from the matchup:

1. Bam Adebayo led both teams in scoring and set a new career milestone.

Adebayo finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists on 43.8 percent shooting and missed both three-point attempts. He took advantage of Wizards rookie Alex Sarr on several pick-and-roll plays for easy lobs at the rim. Adebayo didn't have much rebound competition with Kel’el Ware out with a sprained ankle. This allowed him to set a new record as he became the all-time leader in double-doubles for the Heat as he passed Rony Seikaly.

2. Tyler Herro was back on track with his efficiency.

Herro finished with 16 points, three rebounds, and six assists on 60 percent shooting and 60 percent from three-point range. He made up for his struggles against the New York Knicks by knocking down three shots from deep. Beyond the Knicks game, his playmaking and elite shooting have been a huge reason the Heat have won three of their last four games.

3. Pelle Larsson set a new career high in scoring and assists.

Larsson finished with 16 points, four rebounds, and five assists on 54.5 percent shooting and 25 percent from three-point range. He took advantage of the Heat missing five key rotational players due to injury and earned playing the second most minutes he’s played in his rookie season. With the increased playing time, Larsson set new career highs in points and assists.

4. Once again, Duncan Robinson’s scoring was a key factor in the Heat's win.

Robinson finished with 17 points, three rebounds, and one assist on 53.8 percent shooting and 42.9 percent from three-point range. In addition to Herro’s shooting over the last four games, Robinson has been highly effective from the perimeter and in scoring. Over this stretch, he averaged 17.8 points on 57.1 percent shooting, 46.9 percent from three-point range, and 72.4 percent on true shooting. On Wednesday, he looks to continue this hot streak in a big game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook