Miami Heat Loaded with Injuries vs. Philadelphia 76ers
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- On Wednesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers return home after a two-day break. The last time the Sixers took the court, they suffered a bad loss after an extremely disappointing performance in Brooklyn against the Nets.
Fortunately, the Sixers were given some time to recoup. Now, they will regroup in South Philly to host a rematch with the Miami Heat. The last time the Heat were in town, the 76ers had no issues taking them down, despite Miami's hot start to the year.
The final score ended up being 113-86, and former Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson led the Sixers to victory as the young guard played like he had something to prove. As of late, Richardson has been dealing with a handful of injuries, but he's expected to be good to go for Wednesday's game against his former team.
In what is now considered a rare occasion, the 76ers are quite healthy for Wednesday's game. The Miami Heat, on the other hand, are significantly injured. By Wednesday morning, the Heat already listed out four players for their game versus the Sixers.
Goran Dragic, who is dealing with a strained right groin, and Justise Winslow, who has a lower-back strain, were both listed as out on Wednesday. Dragic is the more significant loss for Miami in this one, considering he's averaging 15 points-per-game. However, Miami will miss Winslow's 12 points-per-night as well.
Although they're not injured, both James Johnson and Dion Waiters will also miss the game, leaving the Heat in a tight spot on Wednesday. Considering the Heat's injury concerns, the Sixers surely have an advantage for their matchup since Philly is fully healthy for the first time in a long time.
However, that doesn't mean Philly can take an injury-filled Miami squad lightly. As we've witnessed in the past, the Sixers struggle to climb back in games where they don't take the opposition seriously, and find themselves in a bad spot. The injury report gives the Sixers a massive advantage. Soon, we'll see if it makes a difference.