Tag: Miami Heat

Pelicans vs. Heat Preview: Sprains and strains and soreness, oh my!

With JJ Redick, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart out for Saturday, the Pelicans’ depth will be tested once again against the Miami Heat.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat

When: Saturday, Nov. 16, 8:00 p.m ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena

How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans

Each time the injuries seem like they have reached the endpoint with the Pelicans, another name mysteriously finds its way onto the injury report at the last minute. Against the Clippers on Thursday, Josh Hart was ruled out last-minute and on Saturday, after not appearing on the injury report prior to Friday, JJ Redick will join the growing list of players to miss a game this season after being ruled out with a sprained toe.

Redick joins Jahlil Okafor, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart as scratches for Saturday’s game, further testing the Pelicans’ depth. Without Redick and Hart, one of the young guards in Frank Jackson or Nickeil Walker-Alexander will likely start alongside Jrue Holiday with E’Twaun Moore anchoring the other wing spot.

In Miami, the Pelicans will face one of the best sides in the Eastern Conference. The Heat are 8-3 on the year, tied with the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors for the third-best record in the East. Their net rating of +5.8 is fifth in the league with a defense ranked third overall.

It’ll be as difficult a task as any for the Pelicans, who have proven to be a tough out for virtually every opponent regardless who is active. Saturday may present the toughest challenge, though.

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Lonzo Ball listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against Miami

After missing the last three games with a groin strain, Lonzo Ball is listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest against Miami.

Lonzo Ball may be closer than ever at returning to the court for the New Orleans Pelicans after his recent injured stint. Ball was listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat on the official injury report released by the Pelicans on Friday.

It’s the first time since Ball sat out against Charlotte last Saturday that he has been listed as anything other than “out” in the injury report released the day before the game. Ball has missed three games with a groin strain.

Ball suffered the injury against the Nets on Nov. 4 and initially played through the injury in the next contest against the Raptors on Nov. 8. However, Ball sat out in the next contest against the Hornets one night later on Nov. 9 and has not been on the court since. The Pelicans have noted they don’t expect Ball’s injury to lead to a long-term absence.

In his absence, the Pelicans have gone 2-1 with wins over Charlotte and the Clippers and a loss to the Rockets. Interestingly, Jrue Holiday had his best game of the season on Thursday with Ball out, finishing with 37 points, four rebounds, seven assists and six steals.

Brandon Ingram, who was a late scratch against Houston and sat out against the Clippers as well, is listed as probable for Saturday. Josh Hart, who suffered a sprained knee and ankle against Houston and sat out against the Clippers, will be out on Saturday.

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The Dion Waiters marijuana edible situation, explained

Waiters was just suspended for 10 games.

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world.

The Miami Heat recently suspended guard Dion Waiters 10 games for what was called “conduct detrimental to the team” after reports of an incident involving a marijuana edible on the team plane.

It ended days of reporting and speculation about just what happened with the NBA veteran on that plane as everyone is piecing together reports about the incident that was considering detrimental conduct.

Here are some questions you might have and as many answers as we’ve gotten in the last few days about what exactly happened:

Who is Dion Waiters?

He’s a 27-year-old shooting guard for the Miami Heat who has averaged 13.2 points per game in a seven-year career after he was drafted out of Syracuse by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the fourth overall pick in 2012.

And what’s this now about marijuana edibles?

Well, marijuana is a substance that —

No no, what does that have to do with Waiters?

Oh, okay! There was a report on Friday from a Fox Sports radio host Andy Slater that a Heat player had a “medical emergency” on their flight out of Phoenix:

Slater added this:

Did that really happen?!

According to another report from ESPN, Waiters had a “panic attack” after consuming the edible.

Did the Heat confirm that was the case?

Not fully. In a statement that came with the 10-game suspension, the Heat said “Dion’s actions this season (included) the very scary situation on Thursday night,” and that the team was “grateful that the outcome wasn’t worse.”

They also mentioned there were other actions that were detrimental to the team this year.

Like what?

That might have been a reference to him being suspended for the home opener because of — per a Pat Riley statement via the Sun-Sentinel — “unprofessional conduct on the bench” during a preseason game.

Where did he get an edible from?

It’s unclear, but per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Heat believe it came from a teammate, although he won’t say:

How costly was this suspension?

Extremely:

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