Bam Adebayo goes down, Heat unable to slow down Nikola Jokic and Nuggets

The Miami Heat returned to the Denver arena, where wins have been rare since 2016, hoping to finally break a long-standing drought. Despite expectations, things didn’t go their way again.

Before the game, Miami received a small boost: Kasparas Jakucionis was cleared to potentially make his NBA debut. However, the team’s injury situation quickly worsened.

In the first quarter, Bam Adebayo stepped awkwardly while running a handoff and screen with Norman Powell. He left the game with a left foot injury and did not return.

Impact of Adebayo’s absence

With Adebayo sidelined, all eyes turned to the Heat bench to see how coach Erik Spoelstra would adapt. Spoelstra initially tried to limit Kel'el Ware’s time matched against Nikola Jokic but had few alternatives.

Ware provided some strong defensive efforts, fronting Jokic effectively at times, yet Miami’s rebounding woes were glaring. Denver grabbed 14 offensive rebounds to Miami’s single one in the first half, a margin that reflected the game’s flow.

Rotational challenges

Once Ware was subbed out, it became clear Miami lacked size on the floor. Two-way center Vlad Goldin is currently with Sioux Falls, leaving Keshad Johnson to fill in as the backup center. The Heat’s shortage of bigs again exposed their depth limitations against a dominant frontcourt.

“14 offensive rebounds for Denver compared to 1 for Miami in the first half pretty much tells the story.”

Author’s Summary

The Heat’s fight in Denver again ended in frustration, as Bam Adebayo’s injury and rebounding struggles helped Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets control the night.

Sports Illustrated — 2025-11-06