Miami Heat Without Starter For Tonight’s Game Against Atlanta Hawks

The Miami Heat have listed sharpshooter Duncan Robinson as out ahead of their game against the Atlanta Hawks tonight as he continues to deal with lower back pain. Robinson missed their last game against the Golden State Warriors. He’s averaging 11 points, two rebounds and two assists on the season, shooting just under 39 percent from three on 6.5 attempts per game.

Additionally, five-time All-Star Kevin Love will miss tonight’s game due to personal reasons. Love is averaging five points and four rebounds for the season.

Alec Burks is available to play after being listed as ‘questionable’ due to lower back discomfort. Burks started in place of Robinson during the Heat’s last game, against the Golden State Warriors, after Robinson was ruled out and scored 17 points, converting on six of his eight shot attempts. Burks is averaging six points, shooting 42 percent from long-range.

Meanwhile, the Hawks listed four-time All-Star guard Trae Young as ‘available’ on their injury report, after being listed as ‘probable’ yesterday dealing with right achilles tendinitis. Young averages 24 points and 11 assists for the season.

A one-time Third-Team All-NBA player, Young tallied 17 points and 8 assists in their loss to the Heat on Feb. 26, 11 points and 14 assists in a win a couple days before that, and 11 points, 15 assists in their win in late December.

Here’s the rest of the injury report and game preview:

HEAT

Duncan Robinson: Out – Back

Alec Burks: Available – Back

Kevin Love: Out – Personal Reasons

Nikola Jovic: Out – Hand

Dru Smith: Out – Achilles

Josh Christopher: Out – G League

Keshad Johnson: Out – G League

Isaiah Stevens: Out – G League

HAWKS

Trae Young: Available – Achilles

Keaton Wallace: Out – Shoulder

Jacob Toppin: Out – Elbow

Clint Capela: Out – Metacarpal

Larry Nance Jr.: Out – Knee

Jalen Johnson: Out – Shoulder

Kobe Bufkin: Out – Shoulder

Game time: 7:30 p.m., State Farm Arena, Atlanta

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Betting line: Heat -1.5, DraftKings

VITALS: : The Heat and Hawks meet for the fourth and final regular season matchup this season. The Heat lost the first two matchups and won the last one in late February. Ever since they eliminated the Hawks in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, the Heat have won seven of their last 12 games against the Hawks. The Heat are 80-61 all-time versus the Hawks during the regular season, including 51-20 in home games and 29-41 in road games.

PROJECTED STARTERS

HEAT

G Tyler Herro

G Alec Burks

C Kel’el Ware

F Andrew Wiggins

F Bam Adebayo

HAWKS

G Trae Young

G Dyson Daniels

C Onyeka Okongwu

F Zaccharie Risacher

F Mouhamed Gueye

QUOTABLE

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: “When you go through adversity, you have an opportunity. You know, when you’re going through something really challenging and tough, collectively and not just totally fall apart. I do believe that there’s an opportunity for exponential growth from the tough times and hopefully we’re getting there, you know? Just gotta keep on going because Thursday will be the next challenge and obviously that game will mean a lot with the standings.”

Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at toledoalexander22@gmail.com. Twitter: @tropicalblanket