The Miami Heat are gearing up for a big one Thursday night, hosting the Boston Celtics in what could be a tone-setting game for the rest of their homestand. But they’ll likely be doing it without guard Davion Mitchell, who’s dealing with a shoulder injury suffered during Tuesday’s win over the Phoenix Suns.
That victory over Phoenix wasn’t just another notch in the win column-it was one of Miami’s most meaningful performances of the season. Coming off a rough three-game road trip, the Heat needed a spark.
They got it in the form of a 127-121 win over a Suns team that’s been trending upward. Bam Adebayo got back on track, and the team showed flashes of the grit and resilience that have defined the Heat culture under Erik Spoelstra.
But the win may have come at a cost. Mitchell exited the game with a shoulder issue and headed straight to the locker room.
While the Heat have downplayed the severity-no MRI was deemed necessary-Mitchell is currently trending toward being unavailable against Boston. That’s a blow to Miami’s backcourt depth, especially considering how Spoelstra has already had to shuffle his lineups throughout the season due to injuries.
And Mitchell’s not the only one on the injury watch list.
Tyler Herro, who’s been working his way back from a toe contusion, is listed as probable. He’s played in four straight games since returning and has already dropped 20-plus points in two of them. His scoring punch is something Miami desperately needs, especially against a Celtics team that can fill it up quickly.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is also on the report with left knee soreness and is listed as questionable. He’s been a bright spot in Miami’s rotation, particularly on Tuesday when he logged 16 points in 31 minutes. Nikola Jović, dealing with soreness in his right knee, is listed as probable and played limited minutes against the Suns.
So while Herro, Jaquez, and Jović are all trending toward suiting up, Mitchell is the biggest question mark heading into Thursday night. If he can’t go, expect Spoelstra to make yet another tweak to the rotation-something that’s become a bit of a theme this season.
On the other side, the Celtics come in riding a rare two-game skid. That’s not something we’ve seen much from Boston this season, but it could open the door for Miami to catch them at just the right time. The Celtics still sit third in the East, while the Heat are ninth, sitting just two games above .500 at 21-19.
Boston will get a boost with Jaylen Brown expected back after missing one game. Outside of Brown’s return, the Celtics are relatively healthy, with only Jayson Tatum and Josh Minott on the injury report.
The Heat know what they’re up against. Boston’s defense is elite, their offense loaded with firepower, and they’ve been one of the most balanced teams in the league all year. But if Miami brings the same energy and execution they showed against Phoenix-and if Herro can provide that scoring spark-they’ve got a real shot to pull off the upset.
It’s the kind of game that could tell us a lot about where this Heat team is headed.