Like the Toronto Raptors, the Miami Heat may have avoided disaster.
Luol Deng is dealing with a “painful bruise” in his left (non-shooting) wrist but an MRI on Thursday revealed no structural damage, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports. The team confirmed as much shortly afterward.
Deng originally injured the wrist in the first half trying to brace himself after tripping over a cameraman. From there, it swelled up to the point of him being unable to play, and he checked out for good at the 5:09 mark of the third quarter. Once X-rays were deemed inconclusive, he was booked for an MRI back in Miami (the Heat stayed in Toronto last night).
“If there’s nothing serious, I’ll be playing,” he said after the game. Well, a bruise would sound like “nothing serious” in the way Deng meant it, but he’ll probably be considered questionable (update: he is).
The loss of Deng would huge for the Heat despite his muted offensive production in the series. Not only is he a major part of small-ball lineups that the Heat have played well with over the last two games, but he’s also been one of their primary options guarding DeMar DeRozan. That job will fall on the capable but inexperienced shoulders of Justise Winslow if Deng can’t go, and Winslow presents some offensive complications that Deng, a better floor-spacer, doesn’t come with. Through five games in the series, Deng is averaging 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, one assist, and 2.2 steals, and the Heat are a plus-13 with him on the court.
Things may even out some, as they did in Game 3, as the Raptors suffered a blow to their combo-forward in Game 5, too. DeMarre Carroll also left the game in the third quarter with a wrist injury, and he’s considered questionable after an MRI revealed no damage for him, either.
Already down Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside, the Heat are going to be quite thin if Deng sits Friday. The rotation could look something like this:
PG: Dragic, Johnson, Weber
SG: Wade, Richardson
SF: Winslow, Green
PF: Johnson, Wright
C: McRoberts, Haslem, Stoudemire
Trying to project the rotation for either side now becomes nearly impossible. If Deng sits and Carroll can’t go, the Heat could be handcuffed with even smaller small lineups. If Deng plays and Carroll doesn’t, the Raptors could struggle to match up small. If both play, they may be limited. And if neither plays, all bets are off, and yes, #FreeJamesJohnson probably. And Dorell Wright, if freeing him is a hashtag. Anyway, there’s now a ton up in the air heading into Friday, and that’s not even to mention the continued day-to-day status of Whiteside.
