Butler and Adebayo among seven Heat players sidelined due to COVID protocols

Miami, January 12: Miami Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have been ruled out of Tuesday's scheduled showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers due to the NBA's health and safety protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Butler and Adebayo were added to Miami's COVID-19 protocol list on Monday, joining team-mates Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn, Maurice Harkless, Udonis Haslem and KZ Okpala.

Heat guard Avery Bradley had been placed on the health and safety protocols list before Sunday's matchup against the Boston Celtics was postponed.

The coronavirus situation also saw the postponement of Monday's game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks, as well as the Celtics-Chicago Bulls encounter on Tuesday (January 12).

#MIAvsPHI INJURY UPDATE: Adebayo, Bradley, Butler, Dragic, Harkless, Haslem, Nunn & Okpala have all been ruled out of tomorrow's game due to health and safety protocols.

Leonard (shoulder strain) is questionable.

Vincent (knee) & Olynyk (groin contusion) are both probable.

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 11, 2021

Miami are ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 4-4 record after reaching last season's NBA Finals, eventually beaten by the Los Angeles Lakers.