After the Nets' 112-107 win over the Celtics on Friday afternoon, head coach Kenny Atkinson told the media that Kyrie Irving will not play on Sunday against the Heat in Brooklyn.
"First thing about Kyrie, he started on-court work, which is a real positive sign for us," Atkinson said. "He will be out for Miami. And then we'll see how it progresses. The fact that he started the on-court work is good news for us. Out for Miami and then we'll see going forward."
It will be the ninth-straight game that Irving has missed, as the point guard is dealing with a right shoulder impingement that has kept him out since Nov. 14.
In Irving's absence, the team has relied on guard Spencer Dinwiddie to handle the ball. Dinwiddie has excelled, averaging 22 points per game over the team's last 10 games, and is now averaging 19.6 points per game on the season.
He scored a game-high 32 points and had 11 assists in Friday's win over the Celtics. The Nets are now 10-9 on the season after splitting a home-and-home series with the Celtics this week.