The Miami Heat have several injuries on their hands, heading into their Wednesday night matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
Things could be worse for the Miami Heat right now.
With a record of 2-1 going into Wednesday night’s game versus the San Antonio Spurs, there has been plenty to like about the team’s performance so far. Between the emergence of a healthy Josh Richardson, a very active James Johnson and an adaptable Kelly Olynyk… it’s clear the 2017-18 squad is a force to be reckoned with.
However, things could also be better.
Because since Rodney McGruder was ruled out with a fractured leg, Hassan Whiteside has been sidelined with a bone bruise in his knee, and both Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters sat out of practice. While Dragic is listed to have a thigh contusion, Waiters is reportedly still dealing with ankle pain.
So the Heat are a little banged up, going into their fourth game of the season.
San Antonio has come out victorious against Miami for the past three years, playing against one another just twice each season. But before that, the Heat won three matchups at home against the Spurs. This will be San Antonio’s only trip to South Beach, with Miami heading down south on December 6.
Now, the silver-lining is that the Spurs themselves aren’t completely healthy. Currently, Joffrey Lauvergne is nursing a bad ankle, while Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker are both fighting problems in their quads.
Still, San Antonio is sitting at 3-0, second in the Western Conference, fresh off a Monday night win over the Toronto Raptors.
The Heat have seemingly found a way to succeed without Whiteside, at least for now. With Richardson averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks a game, the guard has taken control on both ends of the floor. Perhaps not in the same exact capacity as the 7-footer, but certainly enough to hold off an opponent. Similarly, James Johnson has taken things up a notch, averaging 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals per matchup.
But Dragic and Waiters were a key part of the team’s win over the Indiana Pacers. The two shot 17-for-29, combining for 42 points. So to have both performing at less than 100 percent due to health concerns, is definitely not ideal.
Which means that guys like Olynyk and Tyler Johnson will have to step up, to get the job done.
Next: Josh Richardson is looking like the Miami Heat's future
The Miami Heat will host the San Antonio Spurs tonight at 8 PM ET.