Heat injury report: Starter demoted for Celtics game on Monday

It will be a battle of undermanned teams at TD Garden on Monday night as the Heat take on the Celtics at the end of a two-game series. Miami comes to town fresh off a loss to the Raptors on Sunday night, a game in which they also lost Jimmy Butler late to a knee injury. The Heat demoted Butler for Monday’s matchup due to the injury. Nikola Jovic (ankle), Josh Richardson (illness), Kel’el Ware (foot) and Kevin Love (back) are also out.

The long injury list will leave Miami incredibly shorthanded up front behind Bam Adebayo, as Thomas Bryant will be the only healthy player left on the roster. That bodes well for a Celtics frontcourt that will also be shorthanded with Kristaps Porzinigs (injury) and Al Horford (toe sprain) already out after Sunday night’s game in Cleveland.

The Celtics could lose a number of starters themselves, with their top six players listed on the injury report as of Monday afternoon. Jrue Holiday (knee tendinopathy) joins Porzingis and Horford and is already listed. Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness), Jayson Tatum (right patella tendinopathy) and Derrick White (right ankle sprain) are listed as questionable. Brown and White both sat out Sunday’s loss to the Cavaliers.

• BET: Check out ours MA Sports Betting Guidewhere you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.

Without Butler’s availability, the Heat will rely heavily on their guards, and Adebayo will take over the offense. Former Celtics guard Terry Rozier will likely see big play despite a slow start to the year, while wingers like Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. will see bigger opportunities.

For Boston, without Horford or Porzingis, the Celtics will certainly move Neemias Queta or Luke Kornet into the starting position. From here on out, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser will continue to achieve great success. Two-way forward Drew Peterson could also have another chance after a strong 23-minute performance in Cleveland.

The Celtics face the Heat at TD Garden on Monday night at 7:30 p.m.