NBA News Wire
Heat’s Allen, Andersen iffy for Game 5
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Miami Heat reserves Ray Allen and Chris “Birdman” Andersen are questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals because of injuries.
Allen suffered a bruised hip and thigh while running through a screen in the second half of the Heat’s 102-90 win in Game 4 on Monday night in Miami. Andersen is dealing with a bruised thigh sustained in a collision with Heat guard Dwyane in Game 3 on Saturday.
Both received extensive treatment for their injuries. Andersen did not play Monday night. Both were expected to travel to Indianapolis for Game 5.
The Heat, leading 3-1, will attempt to close out the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“He’s the human bruise, so he has a lot of different things going on all over his body, and he’s been able to play through all of that,” Spoelstra said of Andersen. “He’s a tough guy. We all know that. He plays through pain. But you have to understand the difference between pain and injury.”
Andersen is averaging 6.7 points and 7.7 rebounds off the bench in the Eastern Conference Finals. Allen is the Heat’s best outside shooting threat, hitting 44.4 percent on 3-pointers and averaging 10 points and 3.5 rebounds against the Pacers.
If the Heat win Game 5, they would advance to the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive season. The Pacers, meanwhile, are facing elimination.
“Naturally, you’re going to get incredible urgency coming from their side,” Spoelstra said of the Pacers.
