Miami

Heat

Miami only plays five games over the next two weeks, so Larsson shouldn’t miss many games. This isn’t a definitive timeline, but the expectation is that this isn’t a long-term absence. While he’s out, Dru Smith should fill extra reserve minutes in the backcourt.

Larsson was listed as questionable to return after exiting the game in the first half. He ended up missing the remainder of the game, and the initial x-rays were negative. He’s set to undergo an MRI on Wednesday that should provide more information. Miami won’t play again until next week, so Larsson should have time to recover, though if he does miss time, Dru Smith will likely see a bump in minutes off the bench.

Mitchell (groin) missed Saturday’s game against the Kings, but he was back in the lineup to take on Orlando. He has been a strong source of assists this season, especially lately; he has at least nine dimes in five of his last six outings. The scoring hasn’t been consistent, but the former top-10 pick is averaging career highs in both assists and steals. That should continue for this fast-paced Miami offense.

Adebayo has taken major strides as a shooter this season, but that hasn’t been the case over Miami’s last two games. After being held to nine points in Saturday’s loss to the Kings, Adebayo failed to hit a three-pointer for the second straight game. The only other time he didn’t hit a triple this season was against Denver; he exited that game after playing just eight minutes. Adebayo is having an excellent year, but he’ll need to get back on track to help Miami snap this four-game losing streak.

Powell was the leading scorer for Miami, but the Heat offense, which has been one of the best in the league this year, faltered once again, leading to a fourth straight loss. Still, even if this was a slightly subpar shooting performance for Powell, he has been a consistent source of offense for them this season. Even with Tyler Herro (toe) back in the lineup, Powell was still able to get his typical shot attempts. Powell should remain a fantastic option for fantasy managers for the remainder of the season.

Following a two-game absence, Herro was back in the lineup for Tuesday’s NBA Cup matchup with Orlando. He was able to score at least 20 points for a 16th straight game, which dates back to the end of last season. However, for the second time in six appearances this year, Herro failed to knock down a three-pointer, which has been one of his strongest categories over the last few seasons. That won’t happen often, but he wasn’t alone in struggling from deep. As a team, the Heat shot 8-of-33 from beyond the arc, while the Magic shot 15-of-32, which was one of the deciding factors in this game. With the loss, Miami will play on Monday against the loser of the Raptors-Knicks quarterfinal matchup, meaning this was the Heat’s final game of this week. Herro will look to bounce back then, but this ends up being just a one-game week for Miami.

With Mitchell and Herro back, Miami will roll out its preferred starting unit. That will push Kel’el Ware and Dru Smith back to the bench, though Ware should still play a significant role as a reserve. Smith, however, won’t play enough to be considered as a streamer, even on a day with only two games.

Herro was listed as probable on Monday, so this update to his status is not surprising. Expect him to handle his usual workload in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.

Herro, who has missed Miami’s last two games, participated in Monday’s practice. As a result, he’s on track to return to the starting lineup for Tuesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal in Orlando. If Herro plays, Kel’el Ware will likely be the player who returns to the bench.

Herro has missed Miami’s last two games but has a chance to return for Tuesday’s NBA Cup matchup with the Magic. If he does, Kel’el Ware will likely be pushed back to the bench, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. should lose out on a few minutes off the bench.