Over the past week, there was some worry that Bam Adebayo would not be available for Miami’s first playoff game against Atlanta. Adebayo was placed in the league’s health and safety protocols on April 10, causing him to miss the final game of the regular season. The worries were all put to rest when the team announced that Adebayo had cleared protocols and would be available for Game 1 of the first round. Having Adebayo back ensures that the Heat defense is not compromised against a very efficient Hawks offense.
Adebayo only appeared in 2 of the 4 games against the Hawks this season, but he put up solid numbers against a good defender in Clint Capela. He averaged 22.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in those 2 games while shooting 55.6% from the field. Due to an injury suffered against the Cavs, Capela has been ruled out for the first game. It’s unclear if he’ll play at all in the series, but Miami needs to be prepared for either scenario. Onyeka Okongwu and Gorgui Dieng are likely to play the bulk of the big-man minutes for Atlanta. This can be a great opportunity for Bam to show how complete of a player he can truly be.
Miami enters Game 1 without any players listed as out on the injury report. PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, and Dewyane Dedmon are listed as questionable, but all are expected to play. As for the Hawks, Clint Capela and Lou Williams are out while John Collins is questionable. Getting Collins back will help Atlanta significantly, as he hasn’t appeared in a game since March 11. While some fans might expect this to be a quick series for Miami, it’d be wise not to overlook a team with such a high-powered offense.
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