In a contest that could very well be a Play-In Tournament preview, the Heat and the Bulls will square-off in Chicago on Wednesday. It’s not yet clear if Miami will be back to full strength in this matchup, but things are trending in the right direction. After missing Monday’s victory over the 76ers due to back spasms, Bam Adebayo will return to the lineup in the Windy City. Andrew Wiggins, who has missed the team’s past six games, is listed as questionable.
With Adebayo in street clothes versus the 76ers, the Heat started smaller than usual, with Haywood Highsmith getting the spot start in the front count alongside Pelle Larsson. That left Kel’el Ware to dominate the glass and an undersized Philadelphia roster, as the rookie logged 34.6 minutes and posted a massive 19-point, 17-rebound double-double. For 2024-25 as a whole, Ware averages 1.11 FPTS per minute with Adebayo off the floor. Unsurprisingly, that figure falls to just 0.93 when the two big men share the court — as they will again on Wednesday.
Larsson has started all six games that Wiggins has missed. He’d likely return to a reserve role, if the veteran wing ends up available against Chicago.
