Heat’s Terry Rozier questionable vs. Hawks. Also, L2M report cites errors that hurt Heat vs. Pacers
After being added to the Miami Heat’s injury report just hours before the start of Sunday’s game, starting guard Terry Rozier played in the Heat’s damaging 117-115 loss to the Pacers in Indianapolis despite neck stiffness.
But according to Rozier, maybe he shouldn’t have.
“I mean, I never like to make excuses, but I shouldn’t have went today,” Rozier said after Sunday’s loss. “I shouldn’t have played. I felt like I hurt the team by trying to be a warrior and get out there, and I feel l hurt myself.”
Rozier is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun).
Rozier is the only Heat player whose availability for Tuesday’s game appears to be in serious question. Though Duncan Robinson hasn’t looked like himself since returning from a back injury, he’s listed as probable with the back issue.
Also listed as probable: Bam Adebayo (left hand sprain), Nikola Jovic (right ankle sprain), Kevin Love (left ankle sprain) and Orlando Robinson (lower back spasms).
Tyler Herro, who has played in two games since returning from a foot injury, is listed as available for Tuesday’s game.
The only Heat player definitively ruled out is Josh Richardson, who remains out after season-ending shoulder surgery.
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The stiff neck clearly limited Rozier, who recorded just four points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field and 0-of-1 shooting from three-point range in 22 minutes on Sunday against the Pacers. Rozier had scored double-digit points in 25 straight appearances before this performance.
“We just appreciate him giving whatever it is, whatever percentage,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s not going to make an excuse for it, so I won’t for him either. But I just appreciate him being out there.”
Rozier didn’t play his full allotment of minutes on Sunday, though. After playing 14:44 in the first half and the first 7:01 of the second half, Rozier spent the rest of the game on the bench.
Instead, Spoelstra played Herro for the entire fourth quarter in his second game back from injury. Herro totaled 14 fourth-quarter points to lead a Heat rally that fell just short against the Pacers.
“I just didn’t go back in the fourth quarter,” said Rozier, who has averaged 16.4 points and 4.6 assists per game in 31 appearances with the Heat this season following his trade to Miami in late January. “It was just coach’s decision.”
Rozier, 30, believes the neck stiffness might be a product of “the traveling and the sleeping.”
“I don’t know, but I never felt nothing like this,” Rozier added.
The hope is that Rozier’s neck will loosen up in time to play on Tuesday against the Hawks.
“I know it’s going to get better, hopefully by our next game,” Rozier said. “But I’m feeling pretty banged up.”
The Hawks ruled out Saddiq Bey (left knee torn ACL), AJ Griffin (right ankle sprain), Seth Lundy (left ankle soreness), Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain) and Trae Young (left fifth finger torn ligament) for Tuesday’s game against the Heat.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
The Last Two Minute report issued Monday by the NBA cited two officiating mistakes in the final two minutes of Sunday’s game between the Heat and Pacers. Both errors hurt the Heat.
With the Heat trailing by five points, the NBA ruled that Herro should have gone to the foul line for three throws because “McConnell (IND) makes contact with the part of Herro’s (MIA) hand that is not on the ball during his release and affects his jump shot attempt.” Instead, no foul was called and the Pacers grabbed the defensive rebound after Herro missed the three-pointer.
The NBA also ruled that a foul shouldn’t have been called on Adebayo when the Heat trapped Pacers center Myles Turner and appeared to force a turnover with 17.1 seconds to play. But instead of the Heat coming away with a much-needed steal, a foul was called on Adebayo and Turner made both free throws to extend the Pacers’ lead from two to four points.
As for the lane violation called on the Heat with 3.6 seconds left that ended Miami’s hopes of a comeback, the NBA confirmed that was the correct call.
“Herro (MIA) extends beyond the plane of the free throw line before his free throw shot attempt touches the basket,” the report states.
