Oladipo not traveling with Heat on upcoming trip because of knee injury. Here’s an update

Friday didn’t include a game for the Miami Heat, but it was a day that carried potential long-term implications for the team.

An X-ray on guard Victor Oladipo’s injured right knee returned negative on Thursday night and the results of Friday’s MRI were not immediately known. However, the Heat announced Friday afternoon that Oladipo will not travel with the team for the start of its upcoming four-game trip that begins Sunday night against Portland Trail Blazers.

The Heat said Oladipo’s knee will be further evaluated.

The Heat, which did not practice Friday, is scheduled to fly to Portland, Ore., on Saturday for the start of its trip that also includes a Tuesday matchup against the Phoenix Suns, a Wednesday game against the Denver Nuggets, and ends next Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s still unknown if Oladipo will need to miss the entire trip.

Oladipo, 28, limped to the Heat locker room with 5:35 left in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s 110-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at AmericanAirlines Arena after grabbing his right knee following a dunk with 5:51 to play. He immediately called to be subbed out of the game and did not return.

The injury cut Oladipo’s best game in a Heat uniform, so far, short. In his fourth game with Miami after the March 25 trade, Oladipo recorded 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 shooting on threes and 6-of-6 shooting from the foul line, four rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block in 25 minutes during Thursday’s victory.

Oladipo had totaled 30 points on 35 shots in his first three games with the Heat. Miami posted a 3-1 record in Oladipo’s first four games with the team.

“He was out there hoopin’. I’m happy for him,” Jimmy Butler said of Oladipo’s performance on Thursday before he limped off. “Hopefully he’s more and more in a rhythm and he’s OK. We definitely need that guy. We want him back playing the way that he played [Thursday], making shots, getting to the cup, getting to the line, getting everyone else involved and of course playing defense.”

Heat center Bam Adebayo offered an optimistic response following Thursday’s game when asked about Oladipo’s health.

“You never want to see one of your brothers go down. So I’m glad he’s OK, at the end of the day,” Adebayo said. “We walked in and he was congratulating us on the win. So I feel like he’s OK. He just had a little scare.”

Oladipo’s injury history made Thursday’s scene especially concerning, as he suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee in January 2019. Oladipo made his return a year later in January 2020, but he has yet to play in both games of a back-to-back set this season while with the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets before his recent trade to the Heat.

With about five weeks remaining in the regular season, any time lost will prolong the adjustment period to incorporate Oladipo. It will also shorten the Heat’s evaluation period of Oladipo, who will become a free agent this offseason.

With Oladipo unavailable for at least the start of the upcoming trip, Heat second-year guard Kendrick Nunn is expected to fill most of his minutes. Nunn has not played since a March 26 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, when he sprained his right ankle.

Nunn, 25, missed the next two games because of the ankle injury, but Thursday marked the fourth straight game he has been available for and did not play in. He started in 24 consecutive games before spraining his ankle in late March and falling out of the Heat’s mix following the acquisition of Oladipo.

Oladipo, a two-time All-Star, is averaging 19.8 points while shooting 40.8 percent from the field and 32.6 percent on threes, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals this season. He has averaged 12 points on 37.2 percent shooting from the field and 23.5 percent on threes, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals in four games (four starts) with the Heat.

“He gives us another element of attacking off the dribble, cutting,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after Oladipo’s impressive performance Thursday. “He’s able to put so much pressure in the paint. Then he was in a good flow from the three-point line, as well.”

AN ACHIUWA APPEARANCE

Rookie center Precious Achiuwa’s role has diminished in recent weeks, but Thursday showed there’s still a place for him in the Heat’s rotation in certain situations.

With the Lakers using a physical frontcourt that included centers Andre Drummond (6-10, 279) and Montrezl Harrell (6-7, 240), Spoelstra opted to use Achiuwa (6-8, 225) as the Heat’s back-up center in the second half instead of stretch big man Nemanja Bjelica.

Bjelica, who was acquired by the Heat in a trade on March 25, has received most of the back-up center minutes in the last week. But after logging 10 first-half minutes on Thursday, he did not play in the second half.

Achiuwa, 21, earned the back-up center minutes in the final two quarters after spending the entire first half on the bench. Achiuwa contributed seven points, five rebounds, one steal and one block in nine second-half minutes.

“I think he has been staying ready and doing everything he needs to do behind the scenes,” Spoelstra said of Achiuwa. “That doesn’t guarantee he’ll to play. But it allows you to have an opportunity like this where you’re ready. Those are not easy circumstances particularly for a young player. Not to play in the first half and then to play in the second half.

“I just thought he gave us a real presence at the rim, rolling to the rim and the energy that he had I think gave us a spark on both ends. And Harrell is a unique player for his size and physicality. We went with Precious in that third quarter, and I thought those minutes were productive, winning minutes.”

Achiuwa picked up four fouls in his first four minutes on Thursday, but that physical style helped the Heat on the defensive end. Miami allowed just 94.7 points per 100 possessions with Achiuwa on the court against the Lakers, compared to 107.5 points per 100 possessions when he wasn’t playing.

“I understand what’s asked of me on this team and I just try to do the best of my ability toward what is required of me,” Achiuwa said. “It’s just going out there and bringing a lot of energy on both ends of the floor, defensively and offensively. Getting into pick and rolls, getting to the basket quickly, offensive rebounds, blocking shots, whatever the case may be, finishing around the basket.”

After logging double-digit minutes in each of the Heat’s first 22 games, Achiuwa has only played double-digit minutes in 13 of the 30 games since then. And Thursday’s signing of veteran center Dewayne Dedmon gives the Heat another option to play ahead of Achiuwa.

“He has been working hella hard and it showed [Thursday],” Butler said of Achiuwa. “How aggressive he was, how he was flying around on both ends of the floor. That’s how he has to play every time he gets the opportunity to touch the floor. That’s how he’s going to gain more and more trust from his teammates, from the coaching staff.”

BAM SWEEPSTAKES

Adebayo teamed up with MTN DEW Code Red to create unique Jordan Brand sneakers, which were designed by local artist Marcus Rivero, that Adebayo wore during the Heat’s win over the Lakers on Thursday.

“Bam wanted to custom design the shoes to represent timely social causes important to him,” according to a press release. “He chose to address racial inequality at large in the African American and Asian American communities with the shoe design.”

A replica of the custom sneakers will be awarded to one fan, who will also have the opportunity to take part in a virtual meet and greet with Adebayo and win his signed jersey.

To enter the sweepstakes, visit Heat.com/bamsweeps or scan the QR code found at Walmart stores in the South Florida region. The contest is open from Friday to May 7.

As part of the contest, MTN DEW will make a monetary donation to Overtown Youth Center.