The Miami Heat are expected to be without starting point guard Goran Dragic and starting center Bam Adebayo for Friday's 9 p.m. Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Both were injured during Wednesday night's 116-98 Game 1 blowout loss at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex.
The Heat on Thursday confirmed that Dragic tore the plantar fascia in his left foot during the second quarter of Wednesday's loss. The Heat also confirmed that an MRI revealed a neck strain for Adebayo, suffered in a second-half collision against Lakers center Dwight Howard.
Both are listed as doubtful for Friday's game. The best-of-seven series then continues Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
"We'll just have to see who's available and make the adjustments accordingly," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said during his Thursday media session in advance of practice.
Spoelstra said Adebayo's injury is not related to a shoulder injury sustained by Adebayo during the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.
"It's on the same side," Spoelstra said, "so it's easy to draw a comparison, but it's a different injury."
The Heat are expected to return Kendrick Nunn to the starting lineup in place of Dragic, a role Nunn held throughout the regular season. Backup center Kelly Olynyk also is expected to return to rotation, after being phased out in favor of smaller lineups during the postseason.
"Those guys have both played significant roles for us at different times during the season," Spoelstra said, "and we've seen them play extremely well here in the practice setting."
Nunn, who came on in Wednesday's second half to score 18 points in 19:49, said he is ready.
"I've been ready, been all season," he said, having dealt with a COVID-19 illness just before the league's July restart. "I had to step up, and simple as that."
Former starting center Meyers Leonard also could possibly return to the Heat mix.
"At this point, it's all hands on deck," Spoelstra said. "And it's not like the guys that we're potentially sliding into the rotation haven't played before. These guys have confidence and have played big roles for us all year long. Our depth has been one of our biggest strengths. It's not just coach speak. We've utilized our depth all year long."
Adebayo has not missed a game due to injury this season.
Forward Jimmy Butler, who hurt his right knee in Wednesday's loss, had a small bandage on the knee Thursday but said he would play Friday.
"You have to go through your Plan A, Plan B, Plan C," Spoelstra said.
"It's just looking for solutions and trying to get to a better version of our game against a quality opponent."
Even if it meant getting back to the drawing board.
"This is when you feel most alive," Spoelstra said, "when you're being tested competitively and challenged in new ways, different ways."
