Miami was the hottest team in the NBA and looked destined to climb back from an 11-30 start to make the playoffs. The surprising resurgence of Dion Waiters as a guy who can get buckets was a big part of that.
Then Waiters sprained his left ankle a few weeks back. The Heat have gone 5-6 without him and now are in a fight for the final playoff spot, a battle that because of a difficult schedule — they play the Cavaliers Monday and the Wizards Wednesday — they may well lose.
Dion Waiters wants to be back, but he’s not moving well enough yet. He said if the Heat make the playoffs he’ll play, but that remains a question mark on a couple of fronts. Here are Waiters words, via Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
Dion Waiters says his ankle will not be fully healed until the offseason. He said he still will try to make it back for playoffs.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 10, 2017
Waiters, "Even when I walk, there's still discomfort."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 10, 2017
Waiters, "The timing of the injury was just bad timing. It's not going to be healed until I rest it completely."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 10, 2017
Waiters said he only started jumping two days ago and that cutting still is painful.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 10, 2017
This does not sound like a guy on the verge of coming back. Even if the Heat made the playoffs does he sound ready to play by this weekend?
The Heat need help just to make the playoffs, not only are they going to need to upset good teams they need Pacers or Bulls losses. Fivethirtyeight.com said the Heat have a 38 percent chance of making the playoffs, going into the night.
