Who’s in, who’s out for Heat vs. Pelicans. The latest on Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson

There’s positive news on the injury front for the Miami Heat.

▪ Heat All-Star center Bam Adebayo’s absence may only last one game.

▪ Heat three-point shooting forward Duncan Robinson is not expected to be out for an extended stretch after the scan of his injured back did not reveal any significant issues, according to multiple league source.

Adebayo, who missed Wednesday night’s 107-104 road win over Cleveland Cavaliers with a lower back contusion, sounded hopeful when speaking to reporters after the victory that he could return for the Heat’s next game on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans at Kaseya Center (8 p.m., Bally Sports Sun). He’s listed as questionable for Friday’s contest.

“More maintenance than anything,” Adebayo said when asked about missing Wednesday’s game. “We’ll be alright.”

Robinson isn’t ready to return yet and will miss his second straight game, as he has been ruled out for Friday’s matchup against the Pelicans with what has been diagnosed as left facet syndrome. But the scan on Robinson’s back provided a sense of relief that he’s not dealing with a major issue.

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Adebayo averaged 20.7 points, 13 rebounds, 3.7 assists, one steal and one block while shooting 73 percent from the field and 4 of 4 from three-point range during the first three games of the Heat’s four-game trip before missing the finale on Wednesday because of the lingering back contusion. He played through the pain to begin the trip, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said “by the time we got to Cleveland, it definitely didn’t get better, it got a little bit worse.”

With the Heat getting Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic back from injury on Wednesday, the decision was made to sit Adebayo.

“I sat down and had a conversation with coach,” Adebayo said. “We got guys back, so he told me it was time to take one.”

Robinson averaged 23 points, three rebounds and five assists per game while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 11 of 24 (45.8 percent) on threes during the first two games of the Heat’s four-game trip before leaving Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers early because of his back injury and then returning to Miami on Tuesday to see a back specialist.

The Heat ruled out Robinson, Tyler Herro (right foot medial tendinitis), Kevin Love (right heel bruise), Josh Richardson (season-ending right shoulder surgery) and Alondes Williams (G League) for Friday’s game. It marks the 14th straight game that Herro has missed and the 12th straight game that Love has missed.

STANDING BY HIS WORD

The last time the Heat and Pelicans faced off on Feb. 23 in New Orleans, there was a scuffle between the two teams that led to ejections and suspensions.

What started with Pelicans forward Zion Williamson crashing to the court after a foul by Love escalated into Butler and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall getting into a shoving match and briefly grabbing each other by the neck. With players, coaches and staff from both teams converging on Butler and Marshall in an attempt to break up the melee, Heat center Thomas Bryant and Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado began fighting.

The ugly scene led to the ejections of Bryant and Butler for the Heat and Marshall and Alvarado for the Pelicans. It also led to suspensions for three Heat players (Nikola Jovic, Thomas Bryant and Butler) and two Pelicans players (Marshall and Alvarado).

After the Heat won that matchup on the road 106-95, Butler guaranteed the Heat would also get a win over the Pelicans in the teams’ second and final matchup of the season.

“We’ll beat them the next time, too,” Butler said on that February night. “We’re just the better team. We’re not going to say that they’re not a good team. But I don’t think this really matters. I think that when we get them on out home court, it’s going to be a different game. I hope they’re healthy and it’s going to be the same outcome.”

That next time is Friday when the Heat hosts the Pelicans. The Heat has won a franchise-record seven straight games against the Pelicans.

When asked following Wednesday’s win in Cleveland whether he still stands by that guarantee, Butler didn’t hesitate.

“Of course,” Butler said. “I don’t go into any game saying we’re going to lose, but we’re going to get a win. It’s on our home floor anyways. We’re going to be fine.”