Ray Allen, Birdman miss shootaround
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said that veteran guard Ray Allen and forward Chris “Birdman” Andersen didn’t participate in Wednesday morning’s shootaround.
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The two are currently game-time decisions in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, in which the Heat hold a commanding 3-1 lead.
Ray Allen, the NBA’s all-time three point field goal leader, bruised his hip in a game 4 win against Indiana. Allen is in his 18th season in the NBA, and has landed at least 100 three-point field goals in an unprecedented 15 seasons in a row.
Anderson, whom the Heat signed as a free agent last season, sat out game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a bruised thigh.
The injuries will drastically affect Miami’s depth, particularly off the bench. However, the advantage could be too little, too late for the Indiana Pacers, who have struggled since their game 1 win.
With a win tonight, the Miami Heat would reach their fourth consecutive NBA Finals. The team has won both of the last two. Superstars LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, in addition to Allen, Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, Greg Oden, Michael Beasley and others are potential free agents after the 2013-2014 season. The Heat only have Udonis Haslem, Anderson, and Norris Cole as guaranteed contracts for next season.