The Miami Heat will be short-handed once again as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night at Kaseya Center. Already navigating a season full of lineup adjustments, Miami will be without Davion Mitchell (shoulder) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (knee), while Tyler Herro is officially listed as questionable with toe and rib injuries. The injury bug continues to bite, and for a team trying to find rhythm in the thick of the season, the timing couldn’t be worse.
Here’s the full injury report heading into the matchup:
Miami Heat
- Davion Mitchell - Out (shoulder)
- **Jaime Jaquez Jr. ** - Out (knee)
- Tyler Herro - Questionable (toe/rib)
- Terry Rozier - Out (not with team)
- Nikola Jovic - Questionable (knee)
- Vladislav Goldin, Jahmir Young, Myron Gardner - Out (G League)
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Isaiah Hartenstein - Out (soleus strain)
- Thomas Sorber - Out (ACL)
- Nikola Topic - Out (surgery)
Game Preview
Tip-off: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Kaseya Center, Miami
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Betting Line: Heat +10.5
This is the second and final regular season meeting between the Heat and Thunder. The two squads just squared off last Sunday, with Oklahoma City taking a 124-112 win on their home floor. Historically, the Thunder have had the edge in this matchup, holding a 30-45 regular season record against Miami, including a 16-21 mark in South Florida.
But this isn’t just about history-it’s about the present, and right now, OKC is one of the most disruptive teams in the league. They lead the NBA in turnovers forced per game (18.1) and rank third in steals (10.3), turning defense into offense with ruthless efficiency. They’re also scoring a league-best 24.7 points per game off turnovers, which speaks to their ability to swarm, strip, and convert in transition.
Led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are eyeing more than just regular season success. With their sights set on becoming the first team to repeat since the Warriors in 2017 and 2019, they’re not just playing fast-they’re playing smart, physical, and connected basketball.
Projected Starters
Miami Heat
- G: Norman Powell
- G: Tyler Herro (if available)
- C: Bam Adebayo
- F: Pelle Larsson
- F: Andrew Wiggins
Oklahoma City Thunder
- F: Jaylin Williams
- F: Jalen Williams
- C: Chet Holmgren
- G: Luguentz Dort
- G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
What to Watch
If Herro can go, his shot creation and playmaking will be crucial for a Heat team that’s missing key contributors and facing one of the league’s most aggressive defenses. Without Rozier, Mitchell, and Jaquez, Miami will lean heavily on Bam Adebayo to anchor both ends, while players like Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins will need to step up offensively.
The Thunder, meanwhile, continue to ride the two-way brilliance of Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s been surgical with the ball and relentless without it. Chet Holmgren’s presence in the paint gives OKC a shot-blocking anchor who can also stretch the floor, and the Williams duo-Jaylin and Jalen-bring versatility and energy on both ends.
Coach’s Corner
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra didn’t mince words when discussing young big man Kel’el Ware’s recent struggles. “He’s stacking days in the wrong direction now,” Spoelstra said. “He’s got to get back to those stack days, build those habits, make sure you’re ready, and play the minutes that you’re playing to a point where it makes me want to play you more.”
Spoelstra added a pointed reminder that effort and consistency-not entitlement-earn minutes in his rotation: “With some young players, [they] subconsciously play poorly to say, ‘Hey, I’ll play poorly until you play me the minutes I think I deserve, then I’ll play well.’ That’s not how it works.”
On the other side, Kevin Durant, a former Thunder superstar, recently weighed in on OKC’s identity, praising their collective effort and physicality. “They play with physicality for sure, but that’s what championship organizations do,” Durant said.
“They just play swarming basketball; they all rush to the ball. They play physical off the ball.
They got great hands. They got a good shot-blocking center.
I don’t think they do too much extra. They just play together and know how to swarm the basketball.”
Final Word
This is a measuring-stick game for the Heat, who are trying to stay afloat amid injuries and lineup shuffles. For the Thunder, it’s another opportunity to reinforce their status as a legitimate title contender.
If Miami wants to flip the script from last week’s loss, they’ll need to take care of the ball, control the tempo, and find a way to slow down OKC’s relentless attack. Easier said than done-but that’s why they play the games.