It is a sustainable existence, but not a preferrable one for the Miami Heat. It also again is the currently reality: basketball life as less than whole or games approached with rotation uncertainty.

This time, it’s Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin and P.J. Tucker all listed as questionable for Friday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FTX Arena.

Butler is dealing with the sprained right ankle that kept him out of the second half of Tuesday night’s home victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Coach Erik Spoelstra confirmed that Butler did not practice Thursday. Should the Heat hold him out Friday, it would provide five consecutive days of rest, with the Heat next playing Monday night at the Philadelphia 76ers.

“He’s doing a lot of treatment and he’s making progress with that,” Spoelstra said.

The Heat are 13-9 in Butler’s absence. Tuesday night is not included in that total, with Butler injured in the second period and playing through until halftime.

“It’s not easy when he goes out,” center Bam Adebayo said. “But we can still win without him.”

Gabe Vincent started Tuesday’s second half in place of Butler, with Max Strus also added to that second-half rotation with Butler out.

Martin was a full go at Thursday’s practice, after missing the past three games with a hyperextended left knee sustained in the March 9 home loss to the Phoenix Suns.

“I’ll have to talk to the trainers, specifically with him,” Spoelstra said, with Martin initially having had pushed for a return two days after his injury. “I’m not taking his word for anything. And I love him; I respect him. And he has great integrity, except for when it has to deal with his health.

“But he’s really pushing to try to play [Friday]. But we’ll have to really evaluate that.”

With the regular season ending April 10 and the NBA playoffs opening April 16.

Tucker has been on and off the injury report for recent games, but has been available for the past six, after missing the March 3 road victory over the Brooklyn Nets with what was listed as left-knee pain. At 36, the Heat also have been weighing time off for the veteran power forward.

Spoelstra said injury management can be different at this stage of the calendar.

“Yeah,” he said, “and each player is different, and their circumstances are different. So we have to look at things case by case.”

Spoelstra said confidence remains no matter the lineup permutation.

“There’s been so many different things that have happened this season, and different lineups and rotations and guys coming in and out of the lineup. I just view it that this is our norm,” he said. “And I’m not expecting anything differently.

“We just deal with these scenarios and we’ve gained a lot of confidence and trust in playing our full roster. And it’s really kept the locker room in a great place. Everybody’s been able to contribute and play wining basketball.”

Two return

Guards Javonte Smart and Kyle Guy were back with the Heat on Thursday after a brief stint attempting to help the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in its push for the playoffs.

Spoelstra said he appreciated Skyforce coach Kasib Powell, a former Heat forward, working through similar lineup permutations this season as the Heat.

“They’ve had their share of changing lineups and it’s been impossible to like follow how many different rotations Kasib has had to play,” Spoelstra said. “But they’ve been grinding. They’ve been working at it. We love what they’ve been doing there.”

Guy and Smart are on Heat two-way contracts, ineligible for the NBA playoffs, but allowed to practice and travel with the team during the postseason.

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