Dwyane Wade sits out vs. Pistons
MIAMI -- Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will not play against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night due to general soreness.
'He was a little bit sore after (Sunday's win over Charlotte),' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'We've been working with him so we decided tonight would be a good (night) to rest.'
Despite complaining of back issues throughout the season, Heat forward LeBron James is expected to play. This will be Wade's fourth day off of the season. The Heat did not cite a specific injury, but they are taking precaution after Wade underwent an offseason procedure on his troublesome knee that limited him in the playoffs.
The Heat's upcoming slate has them playing six games in 10 days, starting with the Pistons on Tuesday. A four-game road trip begins on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls.
Spoelstra would not indicate who would start in Wade's place, but Heat reserve guard James Jones has started the last two times that Wade has sat out.
The other option for the Heat could be guard Roger Mason Jr., who started for Wade during the Oct. 30 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. But Mason's status for Tuesday's game is unknown after he was robbed Sunday while out to dinner with family in Miami. Mason was unharmed in the incident, in which guns were fired, according to NBC 6 TV. Mason did not speak Tuesday morning following the Heat's shootaround and was not made available for comment.
The Heat are 2-1 in the three games that Wade has missed. Wade is averaging just 18.5 points per game and has posted a 21.0 player efficiency rating, both career lows since his rookie season. Contributing to that low scoring total is his reduced playing time, which has dropped to 33.7 minutes per game. Wade is shooting a career-high 53.1 percent from the floor and averaging 5.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds.
The Heat have gotten off to a franchise-best start with a 14-3 record, good for second in the Eastern Conference behind the Indiana Pacers.
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