Heat’s Terry Rozier provides encouraging update on his foot injury: ‘Everything is fine’
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier’s foot injury has been lingering since the start of the season, but he doesn’t expect the issue to linger for much longer.
After missing his first game of the season in Monday’s home win over the Philadelphia 76ers because of right foot discomfort, Rozier did not practice Thursday but expects to return to practice on Friday. He also hopes to play in Sunday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks at Kaseya Center following the Heat’s unusual five-day break between Monday and Sunday’s games.
“It’s something that has been around for a little while,” Rozier said, with the Heat returning to practice on Thursday after taking two days off following Monday’s victory. “But it’s nothing that we’re too worried about it. Got an MRI and made sure everything was good. So I’ll be back on the court [Friday] and everything is fine. But it’s been a little agitated, that’s all.”
Rozier added that the Heat’s unusually quiet week, which includes five idle days, was a factor in his decision to inform the team about his foot issue following Sunday’s loss to the Pacers in Indianapolis.
“I think it was just knowing that the schedule that we got coming up, I knew that I would be able to get a couple days to just take the time and work on it and get everything right,” Rozier, 30, said. “So by Sunday, I should be perfectly fine.”
Rozier, who said the discomfort in his foot has “been around since the start of the season,” started in each of the Heat’s first 12 games this season before missing Monday’s win. He has struggled to find his offensive rhythm so far, averaging 12.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 38 percent from the field and 33.3 percent on threes this season.
But Rozier is not using his foot injury as an excuse for his underwhelming offensive numbers.
“It didn’t impact my play at all,” Rozier emphasized. “Because I’m one of the guys, once I’m playing, I can ignore everything that’s going on. So I’m not going to sit up here and say it impacted my play.”
However, Rozier also made clear that “I can do a lot of things better, which I know is going to happen.”
“You just got to appreciate the struggle and everything that comes with it,” Rozier continued. “I know once this thing turns, it’s going to turn and it’s going to be super beneficial for me and the guys.”
Rozier, who was acquired by the Heat in a trade midway through last season, is not the only player who was held out of Thursday’s practice.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (sprained right ankle) and Josh Richardson (heel pain) also didn’t practice, with Jaquez missing Monday’s game because of his ankle injury and Richardson logging 14 minutes off the bench in Monday’s win. Rozier and Jaquez worked after practice with Heat assistant coaches on Thursday, putting up shots from around the three-point arc.
The Heat will issue its injury report for Sunday’s home game against the Mavericks on Saturday. The Mavericks are expected to be without star Luka Doncic against the Heat because of a sprained right wrist.
“With both of them, just making sure that they feel good,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Thursday’s practice when asked about Jaquez and Rozier. “This break happened at a good time for both of them. It’s never a good time to get hurt, but at least you have a few more days to get treatment and do what they’re doing right now to try to ramp up.”
THE SEASON OF GIVING
The Heat hosted its 33rd annual Thanksgiving Celebration on Thursday afternoon at the Miami Rescue Mission, which is an organization that provides services to the homeless and those in need throughout Miami-Dade County.
At the event, the Heat distributed approximately 600 Thanksgiving baskets to underserved families and provided hot meals to 450 residents of the Miami Rescue Mission.
Among those representing the Heat at the event were team president Pat Riley, Spoelstra and players.
“It’s all part of really giving back sincerely,” Riley said. “To do that, we feel great about.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 1:39 PM.
