The Heat is poised to get back at least two of its three injured rotation players when the San Antonio Spurs visit Kaseya Center for a 7 p.m. game on Monday.
Andrew Wiggins, who has missed eight games with a left big toe injury, is listed as probable for the game.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., who has missed the past two games a hip injury, also is listed as probable.
And guard Norman Powell, who missed Saturday’s loss in Houston with calf tightness, is listed as questionable.
In Wiggins’ absence, the Heat has started Simone Fontecchio with Pelle Larsson, Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell and Tyler Herro the past two games. Miami lost both, but Fontecchio played well Saturday, delivering 21 points.
Without Jaquez’s offensive spark off the bench, Heat reserves mustered just 10 points against Houston – eight by Myron Gardner and two by Dru Smith.
The Heat, which has lost four in a row, will enter the Spurs game standing ninth in the East at 38-33, just one game ahead of No. 10 Charlotte. Teams that finish ninth and 10th must win two games to advance from the play-in to the playoffs.
Among the teams jockeying for seeds 5 through 10, only No. 5 Toronto (39-30) played on Sunday, with an evening game scheduled at Denver.
The Heat’s game against the Spurs will be followed by a road trip featuring games at Cleveland on Wednesday and Friday and a 5:30 p.m. Sunday game at Indiana.
TV plan
Monday’s game will be available only on Peacock and NBC Sports Network, with Mike Tirico, Austin Rivers and Jordan Cornette on the call.
The March 30 76ers at Heat game also will only be available on Peacock.
NBC’s new 11-year deal for a part of the NBA’s television package gives its streaming service, Peacock, exclusivity for some of its Monday games.
ESPN on Sunday picked up a Celtics-at-Heat game on April 1; that game will be televised in South Florida on both ESPN and FanDuel Sports Sun.
Here’s my data-based Sunday look at whether the Heat is better served making the playoffs or missing the playoffs.
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.