The Miami Heat are surging, but they are dealing with a few concerning injuries. As a result, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, and Goran Dragic were all held out of Tuesday’s practice.
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Josh Richardson (sore left hip flexor), Justise Winslow (ankle) and Goran Dragic (knee) did not practice today. Richardson is probable to play Thursday vs. Rockets. Heat is hopeful Winslow will be able to play Thursday, too.
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) December 18, 2018
Dragic’s knee injury is the most concerning of the bunch. Dragic has only played in two games in the last month and it was clear that the Slovenian was not 100 percent healthy in those two games. It’s unclear when he will be back to full strength, but the Heat will continue to proceed with caution with their point guard.
Richardson and Winslow are far less concerning, but it’s imperative for the Heat to keep them fresh this season. Richardson is having the best season of his career and Winslow is following suit. While Richardson is pouring in a career-high 18.6 points per game, Winslow is impacting the games in other ways. Winslow’s improvement as a facilitator is something to keep an eye on this year.
Fortunately for head coach Erik Spoelstra, the Heat have another day off before playing the Houston Rockets at home on Thursday. Expect to see Richardson and Winslow play, barring some kind of setback occurring prior to Thursday. Expecting to see Dragic in action on Thursday seems like wishful thinking at this point.
The Heat have won six of their last nine and they’re returning home after a successful Western Conference road trip. They’ll look to build on that against Houston, but who plays for Miami should play a significant role in the outcome.
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