Miami Heat Blog – Page 34 – NBA Blog

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.

Full article

John Crotty to do Heat TV next season

Here’s the Palm Beach Post reporting Heat broadcast news that will take effect next season:

John Crotty is moving over from radio to television.

Crotty will become the Miami Heat’s next analyst for all TV broadcasts beginning next season, the team announced today. Crotty, 48, will work alongside play-by-play broadcaster Eric Reid, replacing longtime analyst Tony Fiorentino.

Crotty, who played 48 games for the Heat in 1996-97, has been a member of the broadcast team since January 2005 when he became the Heat’s radio analyst. He will become the seventh person to serve as the TV analyst for the franchise and the second former player.

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Heat assistant video coordinator dealing with health issues

Here’s the Palm Beach Post reporting on a member of the Heat who the entire squad is rooting for right now:

The Miami Heat are keeping a popular member of the family on their minds while on their longest road trip of season.

Dan Bisaccio, an assistant video coordinator, is in South Florida while dealing with health issues. The Heat have been wearing T-shirts this week that read ’10 Day,’ which is Bisaccio’s nickname.

Spoelstra gave a “shout out” to Bisaccio, 28, on Thursday while explaining the shirts.

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Dion Waiters adding to his game

Dion Waiters is a fun player to watch. To discuss. To listen to. He’s also better than a lot of people thought he was. Here’s the Palm Beach Post with more:

Dion Waiters has always been able to get to the rim. That has never really been a question when it comes to Waiters’ game.

But will Waiters ever become an efficient finisher once he gets to the basket? That’s the question that has followed the 25-year-old guard throughout his NBA career.

Since joining the Heat in the summer of 2016, Waiters has made improving this aspect of his game a priority. And Heat coaches have stayed on top of him about it.

It’s clear that the extra work is paying off.

Among players averaging 12 or more drives per game this season entering Wednesday, Waiters is ranked sixth in the league with a field-goal percentage of 51.4 on drives ahead of players like Ben Simmons, Russell Westbrook and even teammate Goran Dragic. And Waiters is doing it on a troublesome left ankle that’s already caused him issues this season.

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Heat: A.J. Hammons, Derrick Walton Jr to G League

The Miami Heat have assigned center A.J. Hammons to their NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Derrick Walton Jr. will also join the Skyforce as part of his two-way contract.

Hammons, who was selected in the second round (46th overall) by Dallas in the 2016 NBA Draft, appeared in 22 games with the Mavericks last season and averaged 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.4 minutes of action while shooting 40.5 percent from the field. Additionally, he was named the 2016 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Big Ten First Team during his senior season at Purdue.

Hassan Whiteside dealing with knee bruise

Here’s the Palm Beach Post reporting on a very key member of the Heat:

Center Hassan Whiteside will miss his second game because of bruised left knee when the Heat host the Atlanta Hawks tonight and coach Erik Spoelstra will go with the same starting five from Miami’s home-opening win against Indiana.

Whiteside sat out the 112-108 victory Saturday after bumping knees with Magic center Nikola Vucevic three nights earlier. The Heat are giving no timetable for his return, only saying he is day-to-day.

“He’s feeling better, he’s doing more but he won’t play tonight,” Spoelstra said today after the team’s shootaround. “Stay with the routine and he’s doing a great job at that.”

Full article

Rodney McGruder undergoes surgery

The Miami HEAT announced that guard Rodney McGruder underwent successful surgery to repair a left tibia stress fracture. The 90-minute procedure was performed by Dr. Charles Jordan and HEAT team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute at Doctors Hospital. He is expected to begin rehabilitation in one week. A timetable for his return has not been set.

McGruder appeared in five preseason games (five starts) with the HEAT, averaging 7.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 22.3 minutes while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range.

Heat convert Matt Williams Jr deal into a two-way contract

The Miami Heat have converted the contract of Matt Williams Jr. into a two-way contract.

Williams Jr., who was originally signed by the HEAT on July 24, appeared in all six preseason games with Miami and averaged 2.2 points in 6.4 minutes of action. He scored nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range in a win vs. Washington on October 11. Williams Jr. previously appeared in eight Summer League games (six starts) with the HEAT in Orlando and Las Vegas and averaged 9.9 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range and a perfect 2-of-2 from the foul line. He started all six games in Las Vegas with Miami and shot 45 percent from three-point range, leading the team in three-point field goals made four times, including a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the arc vs. Washington on July 10 and a 6-of-9 output from downtown vs. Memphis on July 15.

The University of Central Florida graduate finished his collegiate career as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made (274) and became the 18th player in program history to score at least 1,000 points. He appeared in 36 games (all starts) as a senior and averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 36.5 minutes while shooting 39.1 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the foul line. He set the single-season school and conference records for three-point field goals made (126) and set the Knights’ single-game three-point field goals made record after connecting on 11 against USF on January 17. He capped the season scoring the fifth-most points for a single-season in school history and earned the team’s MVP award.

Heat waive DeAndre Liggins, Erik McCree and Tony Mitchell

The Miami Heat have waived DeAndre Liggins, Erik McCree and Tony Mitchell.

Liggins, who was signed on October 10, started in his only preseason game with the HEAT last night against Philadelphia and totaled five points, three rebounds and a steal in 26:36 minutes of action.

McCree, who was signed on September 18, appeared in two games with Miami this preseason totaling six points, three rebounds, one assist and a steal while shooting 3-of-8 from the field.

Mitchell, who was signed on October 12, did not appear in a game with the HEAT.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 17.