Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Babbitt gets encouraging news
PORTLAND, Ore. — The last time a Miami Heat player initially was diagnosed with a hip flexor, it wound up being a more serious injury that has guard Dion Waiters sidelined for at least two weeks. Forward Luke Babbitt, with the same hip-flexor diagnosis, said Saturday he hopes to be back within days.
An MRI came back negative after Babbitt was injured during the first quarter of the heat’s victory Thursday over the Utah Jazz at Vivant Smart Home Arena,.
Babbitt was optimistic as the Heat prepared for their game Saturday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.
“Hopefully, it’s not too severe,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s just a couple of days. I’m working really hard to get back. I’m going to push as hard as I can to get back, so hopefully a few days.”
Coach Erik Spoelstra was a bit more vague.
“It’s a slight strain,” he said. “So he’ll be day-to-day based on treatment.”
The Heat next play Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena against the New York Knicks, the start of the Heat’s lone set of four games in five nights this season, with the final three to come on the road.
In addition to Waiters and Babbitt, the Heat also are without guard Josh Richardson due to a severely sprained ankle, and forward Justise Winslow due to a sore left wrist.
Of those sidelined, Winslow is the most likely to be back on the practice court Monday, with the Heat flying Sunday back to South Florida.
Waiters, Winslow and Richardson are rehabilitating in South Florida. Forward Derrick Williams, who sat out the victories over the Denver Nuggets and Jazz at the start of the three-game trip, was cleared Saturday to return.
“You never want to get injured, especially now when we have so many guys out right now,” Babbitt said. “We’re already shorthanded, so that’s the most disappointing part for me, is just having so many guys out, not being able to be there to step up for the team.”
Unlike Richardson, who was sent home from Utah to immediately begin rehabilitating, Babbitt remained with the Heat, with his pregnant wife and other family members living in Portland.
“It’s nice,” Babbitt said of the family time, “but this is a business trip for me, first and foremost.” Porter taking over as basketball coach at Spoelstra’s alma mater, the C.
“I’ll tell you what,” Spoelstra said, “I’ve had more people contact me about University of Portland basketball in the last six months than I’ve had in 20 years combined since I left, and I think that’s a credit to having basically a Portland icon and a Blazer icon at the helm.”
The Pilots stood 4-2 in their first season under Porter going into the weekend.
“I think it’s outstanding. As we all know, Terry is an icon here in Portland,” said Spoelstra, who said he texts regularly with Porter.
Porter played for the Heat in 1998-99, having played for the Trail Blazers from 1985 to 1995.