As the Miami Heat lost to the Boston Celtics last Sunday, the defeat was not the only aspect that was negative about the game. In the same contest, guards Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson went down to injury and will be out for the foreseeable future. While hindsight is 20/20, it seems that the team made a mistake not getting more depth at the NBA trade deadline.
Rozier went down with a sprained right knee and will be listed as “week-to-week” going further, but dodged a major injury. With Richardson, he suffered a dislocated right shoulder and will be reevaluated in a few weeks.
As said before, no one could have expected two key guards to go down with injury, but it has been documented multiple times by ClutchPoints that getting more depth at guard could help whether it be at the trade deadline or even through the buyout market. Granted, the latter option is still at play, but there are other needs on the Heat like adding size, whether it be a backup center or a power forward like Danilo Gallinari who is expected to be available out of the Detroit Pistons.
The Heat's possible plans to fill in for injuries
One could argue they made a move for a guard when they got Rozier a few weeks before the deadline. However, that move was to upgrade from usual starter in Kyle Lowry, which was a great move for the team, but now with Richardson and the former Charlotte Hornets star out, who is playing point guard for the team and who is backing him up?
Could be Tyler Herro as he has shown some play-making ability, but other than that, it could be Alondes Williams who the Heat just signed to a two-way contract. Even with those options, is the plan just to wait and pray the team does fine until the both injured players come back?
It could be, despite the Heat having an open roster spot, but not every need can be filled. If Miami makes a move for Gallinari let's say, they will have to experiment more on who can play point-guard or there are other players that can play that position though not listed as one, which has been discussed since training camp,
For example, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are not “true” point-guards, but have shown great ability to be ball-handlers and facilitators. It will be interesting to see what Miami does at that spot as Rozier, Richardson, and even Butler miss time as he is unfortunately dealing with the death of a family member.
Spoelstra says “you just feel for” Rozier and Richardson
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke after the loss to the Celtics about the injuries to the aforementioned guards and said that “you just feel for those guys.” Still, he wants to see a “fortitude” with the team and is still noticing Miami playing to their identity as of recent.
“More than anything, you just feel for those guys. They are competitors, they want to be out there. They're trending in a much better direction. You know, Josh was just starting to get healthy and really starting to get his legs under him and really starting to make an impact on both ends of the floor for us. Terry was was getting a lot more comfortable,” Spoelstra said. “But you still want to see a fortitude that's being developed over the course of the season and that's what I'm noticing now the last two weeks, we're starting to develop some grit and competing more to our identity, that thing that goes across our jersey tonight, that has to be the standard and for competing at a much higher level regardless of any kind of excuses you can make.”
Erik Spoelstra talks about losing Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier and how the team overcame it.
“You feel for those guys…we’re starting to develop some grit and competing more to our identity…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/0ICDABAxjD
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) February 11, 2024
Miami is 28-25 on the season which puts them eighth in the Eastern Conference. They start a six-game roadtrip where they will face the Milwaukee Bucks Tuesday night, then the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday to end the back-to-back, get the All-Star break, then get four more contests on the road.
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