MIAMI – The Miami Heat are being cautious with Dwyane Wade ahead of the playoffs.
Head Coach Erik Spoelstra said that Wade will sit out on Friday night.
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It will be Wade's 9th straight game since injuring his hamstring late in the fourth quarter against Indiana on March 26.
Spoelstra said, "There's no way to guarantee anything. You just don't want what's happened to several of the players around the league. You come back, you feel great, and there's a setback, and how long does that take? That means, we take more time."
The Heat are not concerned with Wade's ability to return to flow of the game once he's back in action.
Udonis Haslem said, "I've played with Dwyane long enough. Dwyane's an intelligent enough player, we're a veteran team, we're intelligent enough guys. Obviously for him, it's going to be an adjustment just getting his wind back out there on the court. But as far as getting a rhythm and the mental part of things, we're going to continue to do what we do."
The Heat host the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Miami trails Indiana by a half-game for the top spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.