Heat back from break without All- Star forward Chris Bosh
All-Star forward Chris Bosh was not with the Miami Heat for practice on Wednesday, and the team says he will not play in their game at Atlanta on Friday.
The Heat went back to work after their All-Star break Wednesday, still not commenting about Bosh going back on blood thinners to combat a blood clot. Bosh started the medication again, with hopes of playing again this season, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Bosh missed the final 30 games of last season with a clot. The team says it has no other information to announce at this point.
WHITESIDE TALKS SUSPENSION
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside expressed both contrition and concern Wednesday when discussing the NBA suspension that will keep him out of Friday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Whiteside was suspended last week for one game by the NBA for his elbow to the head of San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanovic during last week’s home loss.
Wednesday’s return to practice was the first time Whiteside commented on the sanction.
“I made a mistake,” he said. “I mean, I know actions like that kill my career. It hurt me a lot.”
It is Whiteside’s second NBA suspension in less than a year, last March having also been issued a one-game suspension for a hit on Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk. Whiteside now has two points on the NBA’s flagrant-foul scale. A player is suspended for one game once he exceeds five points.
KINGS FIRE ASSISTANT COACH
The Sacramento Kings have fired assistant coach Vance Walberg.
General manager Vlade Divac announced the move Wednesday, calling it the best thing for the team moving forward. Divac thanked Walberg for his contributions.
Walberg was added to the staff Feb. 23, 2015, less than a week after George
Karl was hired as head coach to replace Tyrone Corbin.
The Kings are in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 22-31 record. They are 4 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.
JAZZ PRESIDENT TO RETIRE AT END OF SEASON
Utah Jazz President Randy Rigby said he plans to retire from the position at the end of the season.
Rigby will be replaced by Steve Starks, who serves as president of Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment. The team is owned by the Miller family.
Rigby has served as president of the Jazz for nine seasons and has been with the parent company since 1986. He plans to move into an organizational adviser role after the season.
Starks was named president of Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment in March, overseeing the operation of the team. He will continue to also hold that position.
Starks has filled multiple roles with the Miller parent company since being hired in 2007.
KIDD-GILCHRIST’S SHOULDER SURGERY SUCCESSFUL
Charlotte Hornets small forward
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had successful surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday to repair a torn labrum, the team announced.
This was the second time in the last six months Kidd-Gilchrist suffered that injury. He first hurt his shoulder in October during a preseason exhibition against the Orlando Magic.
Kidd-Gilchrist returned to the active roster in late January. He re-injured himself in a road game in Indianapolis just before the All-Star break.
Kidd-Gilchrist will miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season.
BULLS’ MIROTIC REQUIRED SECOND SURGERY
Looking much thinner, Bulls forward
Nikola Mirotic addressed reporters Wednesday for the first time since needing two surgeries for an appendectomy and hematoma removal.
The second surgery was required after complications from the first; Mirotic said the doctor told him it was the first time that had happened in his 30 years of practice.
“It was maybe bad luck. It was no one’s mistake. It just could happen. I’m trying to forget that and focus on my recovery,” Mirotic said. “When I went home, I went with pain. They told me after the first surgery, ‘Don’t worry, next day you can go home.’ But I was not feeling good. So I stayed one more night. After two days, I went home and I had all night a high fever. I was still in pain.”
Mirotic said he still has pain in his abdomen and back but guaranteed he will play again during the regular season. As for why he needed a second surgery, Mirotic said he didn’t ask until after it happened.