The Miami Heat will face the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight without two of their key starters.
According to “reporting from Yahoo Sports”, starting small forward Pelle Larsson has been ruled out due to an illness.
Larsson had previously been listed as questionable before his status was downgraded to doubtful earlier in the day.
The young guard has been a significant contributor this season, averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
He had recently replaced Andrew Wiggins in the starting lineup, helping the team secure victories in his two starts.
The Heat will also be without veteran shooting guard Klay Thompson, who was sidelined shortly before tip-off.
Thompson failed to reach full speed during warm-ups after sustaining an ankle injury during a chase-down block in Tuesday’s win against the Utah Jazz.
The veteran had been upgraded to probable earlier in the day, but the team ultimately decided to hold him out of the contest.
This marks the first game Thompson has missed with his new team, ending a long streak of availability from his time with Golden State and Dallas.
He has been averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting 40.8 percent from three-point range, as noted in the “Yahoo Sports report”.
In response to these absences, head coach Erik Spoelstra may look to Tim Hardaway Jr. to fill the void in the starting lineup.
The Cavaliers are also dealing with their own roster complications heading into the matchup.
Forward Evan Mobley is unavailable due to a toe sprain, while guard Sam Merrill is managing an elbow injury.
The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on WPLG 10.
The team depth will be tested as Miami looks to maintain momentum during this five-game homestand.
Fans will be watching closely to see how the rotation adapts to the loss of two significant contributors against a tough Cleveland opponent.