The Miami Heat have suffered a major blow in their playoff aspirations as guard Dion Waiters has been ruled out for the remainder of the postseason due to an ankle injury.
Waiters, who had been a key contributor off the bench for the Heat this season, suffered the injury during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics. He underwent an MRI which revealed that he had sustained a bone bruise and ligament damage in his left ankle.
The news of Waiters' injury comes as a huge blow to the Heat, who are already without starting center Bam Adebayo due to a shoulder strain. With both Adebayo and Waiters out, the Heat will now be forced to rely heavily on guards Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro to carry the load offensively.
Despite the setback, the Heat remain confident that they can still make a deep playoff run. Coach Erik Spoelstra said in a statement, "We have faced adversity all season long and we will continue to fight through it. We have plenty of guys who are capable of stepping up and taking on bigger roles."
The Heat will now have to rely on their depth and team chemistry if they want to make a deep playoff run. They will face off against the Celtics in Game 3 on Thursday night with their backs against the wall. It remains to be seen if they can overcome this latest obstacle and advance to the NBA Finals.