Heat to get Jimmy Butler back vs 76ers but will be without another starter

The Miami Heat will get Jimmy Butler back for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Kaseya Center, but will be without another starter for the first time this season.

While Butler will make his return from a right ankle sprain that sidelined him for the previous four games, starting point guard Terry Rozier has been ruled out because of what the team is calling right foot discomfort. It’s unclear when Rozier hurt his foot. He started Miami’s first 12 games, averaging 12.9 points on 38% shooting and 3.7 assists.

The Heat will get Jimmy Butler back, but will be without Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr. for Monday's game against the 76ers.

Joining Rozier on the bench will be Jaime Jaquez Jr., who sprained his right ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers. Jaquez sustained the injury when he stepped on the foot of Pacers guard T.J. McConnell.

X-rays on the ankle returned negative but Jaquez is expected to miss a period of time.

Jaquez will miss his fourth game this season after sitting out three of Miami’s first 12 games because of a stomach illness. He’s off to a slow start in his second season, averaging 8.9 points in nine games off the bench.

Getting Butler back and losing Rozier means coach Erik Spoelstra will use his third different starting lineup of the season. With Butler out, Spoelstra went with a starting five of Rozier, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo.

With Butler returning to the starting lineup, the question becomes who takes Rozier’s spot. Spoelstra could go with another guard like Alec Burks, Josh Richardson or Dru Smith. Or he could rely on Herro, Butler and Adebayo for playmaking and keep Highsmith in the starting lineup.

For the 76ers, star center Joel Embiid is listed as doubtful with an illness. Tyrese Maxey remains out with a right hamstring strain.