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Report: Dion Waiters may undergo season-ending surgery

Report: Dion Waiters to undergo season-ending surgery

The Miami Heat are having a very good season. With a 24-17 record, they’re 4th in the East, which is better than most observers expected. But they’re about to lose a key dose of backcourt scoring.

According to a report by Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, guard Dion Waiters, who has been out of action since December 22, “is expected to” undergo season-ending surgery on his injured left ankle.

Waiters’ stats aren’t mind-blowing: 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting just 39.8% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range in 30 games played. But he’s provided heart, hustle and a confidence that’s helped the team formulate a winning culture this season.

According to the Palm Beach Post, “The Heat are 7-2 since Waiters was injured (8-2 including the Dallas game in which Waiters played 8:34 before being injured) and have picked it up offensively. In the last 10 games, Miami is averaging 104.3 points and shooting 46.4 percent as opposed to 99.9 points on 45.2 percent shooting the first 31.”

Heat waive Matt Williams Jr, sign Derrick Jones Jr

The Miami Heat said goodbye to one player and hell to another yesterday, waiving Matt Williams Jr and signing Derrick Jones Jr. to a two-way contract.

Jones Jr., a forward/guard, played for Phoenix’s G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns this season, and in 16 games (11 starts) averaged 15.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.88 blocks, 1.8 assists, 1.19 steals and 29.1 minutes, shooting 48.5 percent from the field. He also played in six Phoenix Suns games this season, for a total of nine points, four rebounds, four blocks, three assists and a steal in 33 minutes of action.

He will wear jersey No.5 for the Heat.

Williams Jr. played in 16 games (all 16 were as a starter) in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season, putting up 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 30.3 minutes per outing.

Hassan Whiteside returns to action for Heat

The Heat are 18-16 this season, and winners of seven of their last 10 games. They’re led in scoring by Goran Dragic (16.4 ppg), Hassan Whiteside (14.4 ppg), Dion Waiters (14.3 ppg), Josh Richardson (12.2 ppg) and Tyler Johnson (11.5). The team got a boost yesterday as Whiteside made his return from injury. Here’s the Palm Beach Post reporting:

The Magic entered on an eight-game losing streak and Heat center Hassan Whiteside returned from injury.

It was supposed to be easy. But it wasn’t.

The Heat (18-16) rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit to defeat the struggling and shorthanded Magic 107-89 on Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami closed the game on a 60-32 run to make it look easier than it was against Orlando (11-24).

Whiteside finished with seven points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes in his return after missing 13 consecutive games with a bone bruise on his left knee. He spent the final 17 minutes and eight seconds of the game on the bench.

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Chris Bosh not retired from NBA just yet

A post shared by Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) on Nov 17, 2017 at 9:15am PST

Former NBA All-Star Chris Bosh hasn’t played in a while, but he isn’t ready to officially call it a retirement. Here’s the Palm beach Post reporting:

Although Chris Bosh has not played in an NBA game since Feb. 9, 2016 because of blood clotting issues, he’s not ready to close the door on his NBA playing career just yet.

“That’s still there in front of me,” Bosh said on The Full 48 podcast hosted by Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. “The window is still open. Once I close the doors, it’s closed. I don’t open it back up. That’s kind of me as a human being. That’s just one of the things about me. … But yeah, for me, I don’t close anything until I’m officially done. So until that day, I will definitely let everybody know when that day comes, if it comes soon.

“I still, of course, work out and everything. I’m still doing work on the court. That’s very important to me. I’m still keeping my options open for the future. I know a lot of people don’t know that, but don’t write me off just yet.”

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Miami Heat change starting lineup

A post shared by Miami HEAT (@miamiheat) on Dec 5, 2017 at 5:31pm PST

It’s always fascinating to keep up with lineup changes in the league. One change can make or break a player’s career. Sure, superstars will always get big money and big minutes, but plenty of players who are the 4th or 5th best starter on a team are a coach’s decision away from being bumped to a 6th or 7th man role, and suddenly that huge contract they hoped for in the future is in doubt. And before you ask, no, the photo above doesn’t really have anything to do with lineup changes. It’s just an enjoyable photo. As for the Heat, here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting:

James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk were back in the Miami Heat’s starting lineup for the first time since October and Justise Winslow was shuffled to the bench when the Heat faced the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at the AT&T Center.

Without comment from coach Erik Spoelstra, the Heat announced the shuffle an hour before the opening tip, a switch that also moved first-round pick Bam Adebayo back to the bench after he had been starting in the injury absence of center Hassan Whiteside.

Olynyk’s only previous start had been the season-opening Oct. 18 road loss to the Orlando Magic, when he started alongside Whiteside in the power rotation.

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Hassan Whiteside out with knee injury

The Miami HEAT announced today that center Hassan Whiteside will begin rehab immediately due to a left knee bone bruise. The rehab process will include a strength and conditioning program over the next one-to-two weeks.

Whiteside has appeared in 15 games this season averaging 14.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1.60 blocks, 1.07 steals and 26.8 minutes while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. Among league leaders, he ranks third in rebounding average and tied for ninth in blocks per game.

No Hassan Whiteside tonight vs Knicks

The Heat visit the Knicks in New York tonight, and they’ll be without one of their best players. Here’s the Palm Beach Post with the latest:

Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who missed practice Saturday because of soreness and swelling to his left knee, will sit out tonight’s game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden because of the same lingering injury.

Whiteside, who missed five games earlier this season after banging knees with Magic center Nikola Vucevic in the season opener, has played just 40 minutes the last two games, none in the fourth quarter. Coach Erik Spoelstra has said the reduced playing time was not because of the knee but it was clear that Whiteside at times appeared affected by the injury.

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Heat: James Johnson struggling this season

A key member of the Miami Heat, after receiving a relatively huge new contract, has been struggling this season. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting:

Heat forward James Johnson struggling this season

Forward James Johnson continues to struggle. He was 1-for-5 in 27 minutes Wednesday.

Johnson, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract, has been unable to come close to his production of last season, and he is hard-pressed for an answer.

“I’m killing myself every night, every day. It’s just been terrible performances out of me and not just from an offensive standpoint, the defense,” he said. “Our second unit, Tyler and me, we should come in and have that same affect we had last year and we haven’t been able to do that.”

Spoelstra said he is confident Johnson will get back on track: “We believe in James. It’s still early. He cares and he wants to do the right play. He’s a giving player. … I think it will work itself out if we simplify his mind.”

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Okaro White undergoes foot surgery

Miami Heat forward Okaro White has undergone surgery to repair a fifth metatarsal fracture in his left foot. The 85-minute procedure was performed by Dr. Thomas San Giovanni and HEAT team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute at Doctors Hospital.

White has appeared in six games (four starts) with the HEAT this season averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13.3 minutes while shooting 43.8 percent from the field.

A timetable for his return has not been set.

The Heat are 6-8 this season and have lost their last two games. They’re led in scoring by Goran Dragic (19.9 ppg), Dion Waiters (16.6 ppg), Hassan Whiteside (15.7 ppg), James Johnson (11.8 ppg) and Tyler Johnson (10.3).

Dion Waiters misses game due to birth of daughter

Heat guard Dion Waiters is out today, for a great, joyous reason. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting:

Dion Waiters was away from the Miami Heat for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center for the birth of his daughter.

Waiters remained overnight in Denver after Friday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center and then returned Saturday to South Florida.

He then posted a photo Sunday on his Instagram feed holding the hand of his newborn daughter, Dior Raina Waiters, with the caption, “Welcome to this crazy world baby girl.”

Coach Erik Spoelstra said the specifics of missing the game against the Clippers was planned in advance.

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