Miami Heat Roster, Injury News 2017: James Johnson Diagnosed With Ankle Bursitis, Out for 7 to 10 Days
Miami Heat forward James Johnson will have to sit out a few games in the next couple of weeks while he deals with an injury in his right ankle.
Johnson went down with the injury after he landed awkwardly in the first quarter of their game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and he was diagnosed with a sprain. After undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan on Sunday, it was revealed that he has bursitis in his right ankle and he's expected to be sidelined for seven to ten days.
The veteran forward did not travel with the Heat for their two-game road trip to Atlanta (Monday) and Boston (Wednesday). And based on the timeline, he's also expected to miss their home games against the Dallas Mavericks (Friday), New Orleans Pelicans (Saturday), and Orlando Magic (Dec. 26).
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The former Wake Forest University standout is averaging 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Heat this season.
Johnson is a key role player for the Heat so they will definitely feel his absence. The good news is that his teammates are always ready to step up.
"Even though our captain is out we still got to look forward and keep playing our basketball," rookie big man Bam Adebayo said after Saturday's 90-85 victory over the Clippers, via the Sun-Sentinel.
"That's what kind of team we are. Every year there's been a guy that steps up huge for us," forward Josh Richardson said. "My first year it was me. Last year it was Rodney. This year, Jordan is stepping up, Bam is stepping up. There's always had to be times where someone has to step up out of nowhere and be always ready," he continued.
Jordan Mickey should see a significant increase in minutes while Johnson is on the shelf. Forward Justise Winslow is still dealing with a strained left knee as well.
