MAX STRUS

Wizards Heat Basketball Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, in Miami. It was the 10th game postponed in the NBA this season because of virus-related issues. Miami had 12 players listed as out for the game against the Spurs for a variety of reasons. Gabe Vincent, who played 35 minutes in Tuesday's win, learned after the game that he had a positive test and couldn't travel. Jimmy Butler was ruled out for Wednesday after spraining his right ankle with about a minute left in the Wizards' game, and KZ Okpala was unable to play because of an injury he sustained Tuesday as well.

The NBA has postponed Miami's game at San Antonio after a combination of injuries and positive COVID-19 tests left the Heat unable to meet the league’s requirement of having eight available players.

Jimmy Butler returned from a bruised tailbone to score 17 points and grab 11 rebounds, Caleb Martin added 17 more and the Miami Heat defeated the Orlando Magic 93-83 on Sunday.

Max Strus scored 23 of his career-best 32 points in the first half, Gabe Vincent added a career-best 27 and the Miami Heat beat the short-handed Orlando Magic 115-105.

Caleb Martin scored a career-high 28 points and the Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 113-104.

Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists before the NBA MVP was ejected for violently slamming his shoulder into Markieff Morris, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 113-96 on Monday night.

Grizzlies first-round draft pick Ziaire Williams had 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and point guard John Konchar added 12 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. 3 pick in the draft, had 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help Cleveland beat fifth overall draft pick Jalen Suggs and Orlando. NETS 97, BUCKS 91Brooklyn first-round draft pick Cameron Thomas scored 22 points and had four assists, and David Duke Jr. added 10 points and nine rebounds against Milweakee. Day'Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn's other first-round draft selection, looked solid with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. PELICANS 80, THUNDER 65Naji Marshall had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Kira Lewis Jr. added 12 points and the New Orleans beat Oklahoma City going away.

Vincent has also been a part-time starter for the Heat, and Miami was one of the teams concerned that those 50-game appearance limits on the active roster was fast approaching. Ad“We all appreciate that they see that each team is in a different place,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. The rule in past years has been that two-way players could spend 45 days with the NBA club and the rest of the time with a franchise’s G League team. But with a shortened G League season this year, and not all teams having clubs in that league this season, there were obvious reasons to change things. We are just glad that it was seen that way, objectively, because not everybody is in the same circumstance.”___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Miami Heat players Udonis Haslem, left, talks to Jimmy Butler during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Miami. The Miami Heat aren’t believing that quite yet — even after a disastrous start to the 2020-21 campaign. “Heat Nation, we are going to figure this out,” All-Star center Bam Adebayo said. AdThe year after losing the finals has not been kind to the most recent teams who have dropped the title series. Tyler Herro missed seven games with neck spasms.

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives against Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Boston. Irving scored 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals helping the Nets rout the Celtics 113-89 Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams. There were no fans in the new Boston Garden on Friday night, and his introduction was greeted with a faint, fake cheer. Precious Achiuwa scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Heat, while Bam Adebayo scored 13 points and Tyler Herro scored 10. McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting and Gary Trent Jr. added 18 points in the loss.