Heat injury update: Jones out vs. Celtics, and Winslow, Richardson, McGruder questionable
Add Derrick Jones Jr. to the Heat’s list of injured players.
Jones, the high-flying forward, is listed as out for Wednesday’s home game against the Celtics because of a bone bruise on his right knee. He sustained the injury in a collision with Kyrie Irving in the first half of Monday’s loss to the Celtics in Boston.
A Tuesday MRI on Jones’ knee revealed the bone bruise. The 22-year-old also missed eight consecutive games earlier this season due to two right knee bone bruises.
With just five games remaining in the Heat’s regular season, any extended absence could turn into a season-ending injury. James Johnson started in Jones’ place in the second half of Monday’s defeat, and he is the top candidate to fill that role again Wednesday unless the Heat gets other players back from injury.
Josh Richardson (left heel bruise), Justise Winslow (right thigh bruise) and Rodney McGruder (left knee soreness) are listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Celtics.
With the possibility of being without four players, the Heat could have just 11 available and healthy players Wednesday: Goran Dragic, Ryan Anderson, Hassan Whiteside, Bam Adebayo, Johnson, Dion Waiters, Kelly Olynyk, Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade, and two-way contract players Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten.
Meanwhile, the Celtics’ injury report includes Jaylen Brown, who is doubtful with low back spasms, Al Horford, who is probable with left knee soreness, and Marcus Morris, who is questionable with left knee soreness. Brown missed Monday’s win against the Heat in Boston because of his back issue.
Here’s more on the Heat’s injuries ...
▪ Richardson has been in a walking boot, at times, as he recovers from his injury, which has forced him to miss the Heat’s past three games. He’s been unavailable for five games this season — one because of a right shoulder impingement, one because of an illness and three because of his recent heel injury.
Richardson is averaging a team-high 16.7 points this season, with the Heat outscoring teams by 72 points in the team-high 2,523 minutes he’s played.
▪ Winslow has missed the Heat’s past nine games with a thigh bruise he suffered in the March 15 home loss to the Bucks. Miami is 9-7 this season in games Winslow has missed.
Before the injury, Winslow was one of Miami’s best and most reliable players with averages of 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists since Dec. 1 in a point guard role.
▪ McGruder, who’s averaging 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists, has missed the Heat’s past eight games with pain in his left knee. He’s missed 10 games this season due to injury.
This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 5:52 PM.
