Miami Heat have been one of the most-injured teams in the NBA for the past few seasons. They just don't have much luck when it comes to staying healthy, and it seems that they always lose some of their best players for an extended period. This season is not an exception as the team lost one of their starters, Rodney McGruder, before the season even started.
After McGruder, the Heat lost Okaro White for a longer period, and White was joined by Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside. Still, the Heat somehow managed to win 24 of their first 41 games of the season, which is a huge improvement over only 11 wins they had in the first half of the 2016/17 season.
Despite all these injuries, the Heat are in the fourth place in the East, but they may not be able to retain it as Dion Waiters will have to undergo a season-ending surgery.
Out for rest of the season
Dion Waiters has been dealing with ankle issues for a long time and he appeared in only 46 games last season. Despite many missed game, the Miami Heat signed him to a four-year contract worth $52 million, and he is owed $11 million for this season.
Waiters has appeared in 30 games this season, averaging 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. While his numbers are far from impressive, the shooting guard has helped the Heat in the clutch and he was one of the best clutch scorers in the league when he was playing.
Unfortunately, his season has come to an end and we will probably see him play again in late 2018.
Sources: Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters is expected to undergo season-ending surgery on his injured left ankle. Waiters has received second opinions in Los Angeles to finalize decision, league sources said.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 11, 2018
The Miami Heat are 8-3 without Dion Waiters this season, which is a great record.
They are currently on a six-game win streak as Erik Spoelstra has done a great job with different lineups during Waiters' absence. While being shorthanded will definitely create a lot of problems for the Heat, fans are optimistic that the team will keep the fourth position in the conference and gain a home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Upcoming schedule
Miami Heat will play their next game Sunday afternoon against the Milwaukee Bucks at home. However, after this game, the team will go on a five-game road trip that starts in Chicago. The Bulls have been playing very well lately, so beating them will be a tough challenge for the shorthanded Heat.
After Chicago, the Heat will visit Milwaukee for another game against the Bucks. The road trip will then continue in Brooklyn and Charlotte as the Heat will play back-to-back games against the Nets and the Hornets. Final game of the road trip will be against the Houston Rockets, and it will undoubtedly be the toughest game of the road trip.
