The Miami Heat have barely been at full strength for a full week this season, and their injury woes are continuing at the worst time as the playoff chase heats up.
The Miami Heat really haven’t been able to buy a break when it comes to health all season. Only one player, Bam Adebayo, has actually appeared in every game this season, and one of just three players to appear in 70 or more games, Josh Richardson, appears to be looking at missing some time.
Richardson will miss Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks with a bruised left heel and will remain day-to-day. He will join Justise Winslow and Rodney McGruder on the injury list.
Winslow has been out for the last six games after suffering a thigh bruise against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 15th. The Heat have gone 4-2 in his absence, but at a certain point you can only stretch your rotation so far in order to make things work. Eventually, when you’re missing your best players in the form of a starting point guard and starting small forward, there will be a price to pay.
Thus far Winslow is questionable for the Mavs game on Thursday night, but a thigh bruise is a hard injury to quickly recover from so there may be more time off ahead for him.
Rodney McGruder has been out for the last five games with a knee injury, and he has already been ruled out for the Heat against the Mavs, like Richardson.
The Miami Heat are currently on the outside of the playoff standings looking in, trailing the Orlando Magic by half a game. They need all the breaks of fortune to go their way, and it’d be nice if those breaks could start with some health and recovery for their players.