After undergoing an MRI on Sunday, the Heat announced Whiteside is day-to-day with a sprained right MCL.
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Jonas Valanciunas has been playing exceptionally well for the Toronto Raptors throughout the NBA Playoffs so far. Portland became the first team to beat Golden State twice this season, and it’s unknown if the Warriors will have MVP Stephen Curry back from his knee injury in time for Game 4.
He went down with a sprained ankle in Game 3 and it is an injury that will keep him out for the series.
Down 2-1 in their respective series, the last thing either the Trail Blazers or the Heat will want is to head out on the road later this week facing elimination.
Without Whiteside, Spoelstra used all three of his reserve centers: Udonis Haslem (eight points, seven rebounds in 22 minutes), Josh McRoberts (four points, four rebounds in 13 minutes) and Amare Stoudemire (scoreless, no rebounds in four minutes).
“However’s it isn’t just the numbers that has been so impressive, it’s more the overall supremacy he’s exuded over Miami’s frontline from both a talent and basketball IQ standpoint”.
Jonas Valanciunas also exited Game 3 with a sprained right ankle.
The Raptors took a nine-point lead into halftime as they took advantage of Whiteside being off the court.
Whiteside had to leave Saturday’s game 3 with a knee injury and an MRI has now shown he’s dealing with a right MCL sprain.
The Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat collide in Game 4 at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday. He also helped power the Raptors to victory in Game 2, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, including several crucial offensive boards late in the game. “But for us as a team, it’s next man up”.
Lowry can carry this team because, when he is at his best, he makes everyone around him better.
The NBA’s leading shot blocker and third-leading rebounder in the regular season remains unsure of his availability moving forward. The Heat can afford to go all out using Winslow, Tyler, Richardson, Weber to stop the Raptors’ back-court duo from ruining the Heat’s date with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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We will agree that both teams still have plenty to learn about the other, particularly with the changes coming in light of the two centres being injured, but his contention that Lowry has been good down the stretch during all three games in this series is just not true. “And at the end of the day, I can live with everything people say about me”, responded Lowry. A lot of guys complain, claim they don’t get opportunities. So we can’t relax or think that we’re going to have it easier.
