The Warriors are rolling out a lineup that feels more like a reboot than the usual blockbuster cast: Curry, Green, and Butler? All out. Even offseason sensation Jonathan Kuminga isn’t in the mix. Golden State, sitting at 9-7, faces a Heat squad at 8-6, who are barely getting their third game of the week. Miami’s coming off a split with the Knicks, losing big in New York, then eking out a 115-113 win at home. With all the usual stars missing, this one promises to be a full-on test for the Warriors’ depth.

The verdict is in, and Draymond Green won’t be hitting the court Wednesday against the Heat. Originally tagged as questionable, the Warriors made the call just over an hour before tip-off, Green is sidelined with an illness. After dropping a game to the Orlando Magic that ended their three-game streak over San Antonio and New Orleans, Golden State was hoping for an easy bounce-back. Now? Things got a whole lot trickier.

Green’s been the steady glue for the Warriors through their 9-7 start, putting up 7.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. With him out and Curry and other stars also sidelined, suddenly this matchup against Miami feels less like a warm-up and more like a test of who can step up.

HC Steve Kerr confirmed that Curry, Green, and Butler are all considered “day to day,” while Buddy Hield is sidelined with illness, Jonathan Kuminga is out with a knee issue, and Al Horford is resting. Kerr’s words on the situation weren’t sugar-coated: this is just part of the brutal toll the schedule has taken. 

The Warriors are playing their sixth road game in nine days, their 17th game in 30, across 12 different cities—and, as Kerr pointed out, maybe it’s time to rethink all these back-to-backs. “I think it’s a legitimate question that we should all be addressing,” he said. “We all have a stake in this league, we all want the same thing. We want the best possible product, we want to protect our players. So I think everything should be on the table in these conversations.”

Therefore, it’s tough to tell whether Green’s illness is just a bug or the cumulative toll of constant travel and games. Against a Heat squad that’s been surprisingly hot in the East, the Warriors will have to navigate a lineup full of question marks. 

Bam Adebayo is back and ready to lead

After six games on the sideline, Bam Adebayo is finally ready to lace them up for the Heat. The All-Star big man, nursing a sprained left big toe, was initially questionable but is now good to go. With Tyler Herro still out with an ankle injury, Bam is back to lead the frontline. 

“Some of it, obviously, you feel like you can help. And then the other side, you want to be fully healthy,” Bam said about his injury and recovery process. “That’s when you turn to the head coach and the training staff, because they both know I’ll go out there and play regardless. So they got to save me from myself.”

Even after missing six games, Bam hasn’t lost a step. He’s averaged 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.0 threes in 30.4 minutes this season, and in his seven healthy games, he was putting up 22.4 points, 9.1 boards, and 3.3 assists while hitting career-high three-point attempts. Miami’s record without him? A respectable 4-2, including a nail-biter 115-113 win over the Knicks.

Adding an extra layer of motivation? Bam’s biggest cheerleader will be courtside: A’ja Wilson. With his girlfriend cheering him on and a chance to remind the league why he’s one of the East’s most dynamic big men, Bam’s return is more than just a health update.