Miami Heat once again short-handed for Monday's game at Cleveland
The Miami Heat will be without three key players for Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Guards Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro and forward Meyers Leonard did not travel with the team Sunday. Butler is set to miss his second straight game due to personal reasons. Herro and Leonard are sidelined for their eighth consecutive game because of ankle issues. The Heat offered no timetable on their returns.
Butler is leading the team with 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists a game. An All-Star, he will miss 10th game of the season. He will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by forward Derrick Jones Jr., who started Saturday's game against the Cavaliers at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Herro has been one of the NBA's top rookies, averaging 13.1 points and four rebounds after playing one season at Kentucky. He was selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend but was unable to participate because of the injury.
Leonard, who was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers last offseason in a trade for Hassan Whiteside, had been the only Heat player to play in every game until he was hurt Feb. 3 against the Philadelphia 76ers. He is averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds.
The Heat are just 4-6 in their last 10 games, falling to the Atlanta Hawks in the first game after the All-Star break. They were a season-best 18 games above .500 Jan. 22 before the recent struggles. At 36-20, they are still the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
