There are a few things about the Miami Heat, as a franchise and typically with the team that they assemble on the court too, that will always remain the same. They try to be one of the toughest, most hard-working, and no excuse teams in the league.
Well, on most occasions, anyway. That’s what the fans are there for.
With that and though they could make more than a few excuses right now, being without their top two guys in Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, they have still just plodded along. Taking a few tough defeats recently, they bounced back in a major way with a nice victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Even with some semblance of being able to conquer their recent misery though, there is a piece that still seems rather mysterious and unfortunate.
The Miami Heat’s depth is being challenged without Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler. It doesn’t help that Markieff Morris has also been out nearly a month.
Markieff Morris hasn’t played a game since the, now infamous, dustup between him and Nikola Jokic that led to whiplash for Morris.
By the way, that happened on November 8th, where the Miami Heat are currently getting set for their next game on December 11th against the Chicago Bulls.
Not to mention and if Markieff still isn’t ready to go, it could be his second missed contest against another top Eastern Conference contender in the span of his whiplash. Regardless of any of that, though many questioned if Morris was “faking” the severity of the hit from Jokic, they are missing Morris.
Especially without Bam, especially with Jimmy Butler’s recent absence, and just in general, as he’s been an important part of the rotation, he is missed. He is extra size and toughness.
They could use more of that right now without Bam Adebayo. They are also down the offensive production of both he and Jimmy, which Morris can also help provide.
It’s just an all-around tough scenario that you’d hope he returns from sooner than later from. The team can use him and you hate to see him out so long.
These, among a few other things, are why Markieff Morris’s absence can’t go understated.