The Miami Heat will likely be without Davion Mitchell in an important matchup with the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
The Heat will look to pick up their second consecutive win at home Thursday night when they welcome their Eastern Conference rivals to South Beach. The matchup will be Miami's second of a three-game homestand, following a pitiful three-game road swing.
On Tuesday, earlier this week, the Heat beat the Phoenix Suns 127-121 to kick off the home stand. It was one of Miami's most important wins of the year, given their recent struggles, Bam Adebayo's scoring woes, and the fact that the win came against a team many would consider the superior opponent.
While the win was Miami's, it may have come at a cost, as Davion Mitchell appeared to injured his shoulder during the game. He would go to the Heat locker room afterward, and his status for the Celtics game isn't looking good. Mitchell isn't the only Heat player to appear on the injury report ahead of their clash with Boston, either.
Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. join Davion Mitchell on the Heat's injury report ahead of Celtics game
Mitchell, of all the names mentioned on Miami's injury report for Thursday, is the likeliest player to actually not play against the Celtics. That said, Tyler Herro (toe contusion) is also listed, but listed as probable. Herro returned to the lineup four games ago and has scored 20+ points in two of them. Miami has missed his offense, and sure could use it against Boston.
Aside from Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left knee soreness) and Nikola Jović (right knee soreness) are both listed as questionable and probable, respectively, against the Celtics. Both played against the Suns earlier in the week, with Jaquez scoring 16 points in 31 minutes and Jović adding just one point in six minutes.
All three of Herro, Jaquez, and Jović will likely be in the lineup to face Boston, but Mitchell is more likely out than in. According to the Heat, Mitchell did not have an MRI as it wasn't needed. Still, Erik Spoelstra will have to shift his starting lineup again, something he's had to do more often than not this season.
The Celtics will be another tough matchup for the Heat, but Boston is on their own two-game losing streak right now, so Miami may have gotten them at a good time for an upset. Boston sits third in the East, while Miami is ninth in the East. being just two games above .500 (21-19).
However, Boston will welcome Jaylen Brown back in the lineup after sitting out one game. Other than that, the Celtics are pretty healthy with only Josh Minott and Jayson Tatum listed as out on their injury report.
Losing Mitchell will have an effect, but if the Heat play as they did against the Suns, they have a real puncher's chance at the Celtics.