Inside The Heat

Miami Heat-New Orleans Pelicans Final Injury Update: Two vital players' status divulged

The final word on who's in and who's out for Sunday night's face-off.
Dec 2, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;  New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) ceelbrates with forward Trey Murphy III (25) and guard Trey Alexander (23) during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Dec 2, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) ceelbrates with forward Trey Murphy III (25) and guard Trey Alexander (23) during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans announced that Trey Murphy and Derik Queen both will play in Sunday night's matchup against the Miami Heat after missing the Pelicans' last game.

Here's the rest of the injury report and game preview:


INJURY REPORT

HEAT

Tyler Herro: Available - Toe

Jaime Jaquez Jr.: Out - Ankle

Pelle Larsson: Available - Ankle

Nikola Jović: Questionable - Groin

Keshad Johnson: Out - G League

Jahmir Young: Out - G League

Vladislav Goldin: Out - G League

Terry Rozier: Out - Not with team

PELICANS

Trey Murphy: Available - Back

Derik Queen: Available - Quadriceps

Herb Jones: Out - Ankle

Saddiq Bey: Out - Hip

Dejounte Murray: Out - Achilles

Game date, time and location: Sunday, Jan. 4, 6:00 p.m. EST, Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida

TV: TV: FanDuel Sports Network Sun (South Florida), Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network (New Orleans)

Radio: 104.3 FM (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale), ESPN 106.3 FM, (West Palm Beach), FOX Sports Radio 105.9 FM (Ft. Myers/Naples), 1450 AM (Suart), 97.7 FM (Florida Keys), WAQI 710 AM (Spanish-language broadcast, South Florida) 870 AM/105.3 FM, 105.7 FM (New Orleans)

VITALS: The Miami Heat (19-16) and New Orleans Pelicans (8-28) meet for the first of two regular season matchups. Last season, Miami swept the series, 2-0, and has currently won nine of the last 10 overall against New Orleans. The Heat are 28-21 all-time versus New Orleans during the regular season, including 18-7 in home games and 10-14 in road games.

PROJECTED STARTERS

HEAT

G Davion Mitchell

G Norman Powell

C Kel'el Ware

F Andrew Wiggins

F Bam Adebayo

PELICANS

G Jeremiah Fears

G Jordan Poole

C Yves Missi

F Bryce McGowens

F Zion Williamson

Betting Lines (via FanDuel Sportsbook)

Spread: Heat -8.5 (-112), Pelicans +8.5 (-108)

Moneyline: Heat -360, Pelicans +290

Total points scored: 247.5 (over -106, under -114)

QUOTABLE

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra on the slower pace against Minnesota: “They were pressuring up so we didn't have as many advance passes to that, but we knew that if we're facing their half-court defense repeatedly that it's going to be, not an impossible night, you still have to find a way in that type of game, but there won't be that fluidity, and if it is going to be in the half-court, then we need to do things with great purpose and force."


MORE MIAMI HEAT STORIES

A Heat player scoring pop prediction, plus an area of focus for Miami's front-court

Disappointing performances by Adebayo, Heat in loss vs Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves end the Heat's hot


For more Miami Heat information and conversation, check out Off The Floor.


Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at Twitter: @tropicalblanket

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Alex Toledo
ALEX TOLEDO

Alex, who was born in Miami, is also a producer, co-host and reporter for the Five on the Floor podcast. He has covered the Heat and NBA since 2019 as a season credential holder. He studied journalism at Florida International University.

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