Heat again without three rotation players on Tuesday. Also, Spoelstra receives NBA honor

The Miami Heat’s season-long injury issues continue.

The Heat ruled out three rotation players for Tuesday’s matchup against the visiting Detroit Pistons. The three unavailable are Tyler Herro (right foot medial tendinitis), Kevin Love (right heel bruise) and Josh Richardson (right shoulder dislocation).

Herro will miss his fifth straight game and 25th game of the season. He has been dealing with a hyperextended left knee and a sore right foot recently, but he has since recovered from his knee injury and is now missing time because of his foot issue.

Love will miss his third straight game and Richardson will miss his eighth straight game with their respective injuries.

The Heat will also be without Jamal Cain (G League), Dru Smith (season-ending right knee surgery) and Alondes Williams (G League) against the Pistons.

Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin are both expected to be available for the Heat on Tuesday despite coming out of Saturday’s home win over the Utah Jazz in some pain. Adebayo is not on the injury report and Martin is listed as available despite a right thumb sprain.

The Heat already entered Monday with the fourth-most missed games in the NBA this season due to injury at 200 games, according to Spotrac’s tracker.

The Pistons, which entered Monday tied for the NBA’s worst record at 9-51, ruled out Buddy Boeheim (G League), Tosan Evbuomwan (G League), Jaren Rhoden (G League) and Stanley Umude (G League) for Tuesday’s game in Miami. Quentin Grimes (right knee soreness) is listed as doubtful.

COACH OF THE MONTH

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in February, the NBA announced Monday.

The Heat bounced back after a rough January that included a 6-10 record to go 8-3 in February despite injuries that forced Miami to use eight different starting lineups in February.

This marks the franchise-record 10th time that Spoelstra has been named the East’s Coach of the Month during his 16 seasons as the Heat’s head coach. This is the first time that Spoelstra has received the honor since December 2021.

Golden State’s Steve Kerr was named the Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in February.

TWO-WAY DEADLINE

Monday marked the final day for NBA teams to sign players to two-way contracts, with the deadline at 11:59 p.m.

The Heat is currently at the three-player maximum for two-way deals, with Cain, Cole Swider and Williams signed to such contracts.

The expectation is the Heat will not swap out one of its two-way contract players for a new face ahead of Monday’s deadline and will stick with Cain, Swider and Williams. The trio’s two-way contracts with the Heat are already guaranteed for the season, but players on two-way deals are not eligible to take part in the playoffs.

FAMILY FEST SUCCESS

The Heat held its 24th annual Family Festival on Sunday afternoon at Kaseya Center. Heat players, coaches and executives were in attendance, giving fans an opportunity to meet and mingle with them during the event.

“This is our 24th year of doing this and it’s all been for a great cause,” Heat president Pat Riley said.

This year’s Family Festival helped raise $502,150 for the Jackson Health Foundation, which is committed to philanthropic activities that benefit the medical programs and services at the health system, and Safespace, which is committed to the advocacy and empowerment of domestic violence victims and their children.

“To me, it’s the tradition of giving,” Riley’s wife, Chris, said. “That was part of what we brought when we came. ... That’s what it’s about, families coming together to share but also give back to our community. That is in the very fiber of our franchise and who we are as people, but also as the Miami Heat.”