Tyler Johnson Injury: Updates on Heat SG's Recovery from Shoulder Surgery

Miami Heat shooting guard Tyler Johnson underwent surgery on Feb. 4 to repair a shoulder injury. It is unclear if he will be able to return to the court.

Continue for updates.

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Johnson Hoping to Return in 2016

Sunday, March 6

"Johnson, recovering from shoulder surgery, said he’s able to do everything on the court except shoot," reported Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. "He still has pain when he shoots and has been advised not to do that until the pain subsides. He said he remains optimistic about an April return."

Jackson reported on Feb. 13 that "Miami isn’t counting on [Johnson’s] return this season after shoulder surgery, though Johnson says an April comeback isn’t out of the question."

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Johnson Comments on Recovery

Sunday, Feb. 7

"The doctors said it's going to be two to three months before I can resume contact," Johnson said, via Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald. "It's a possibility [I could be back for the playoffs]. But we've just got to see.

"Again, we're not trying to rush it back," Johnson added. "If it feels healthy by then, and I'm actually able to contribute and not just be out there trying to figure it out during the playoffs, [then I'll play]. [The playoffs are] not the time to try and figure out if you can go. If there's a couple practices before it, I'll try and practice and figure out what I can do."

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Johnson's Surgery Successful

Wednesday, Feb. 3

The Heat announced Johnson underwent surgery in Miami on Wednesday but has no definitive timetable to return. 

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Johnson Unable to Shake Shoulder Injury

The injury has been plaguing him for quite some time. Per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Jan. 9, Johnson was feeling pain in his shoulder and was aware that surgery was an option.

In his second year in the NBA, Johnson has provided valuable minutes throughout the season at point guard, not at shooting guard, as Goran Dragic and Beno Udrih have experienced injuries this season. Dragic suffered a calf strain earlier this year, while Udrih suffered a neck strain. 

Johnson is averaging a career-high 8.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 36 games this season, bringing a high-intensity style of play to both sides of the ball.

Yet he was happy to have Udrih and Dragic back, as he was playing a lot of basketball at a position worn thin, as he told Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post:

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My big thing is playing with energy, and 40 minutes of kamikaze is hard to maintain. I felt a lot more comfortable today getting back into my role, and with Goran coming back soon and things go back to normal, you’ll see the chemistry come back. 

Sometimes I was getting fatigued, but (tonight) I was able to go in for bursts and come out knowing I had a guy like Beno who can run everything the right way and get everybody in the right spots.

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His contributions have helped keep the Heat in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Entering Monday, Miami is fourth at 27-21. However, just two games separate the team from its position and the eighth-place Detroit Pistons, so it will be important that Miami finds a way to keep the chemistry even without Johnson. 

That responsibility will fall on Dragic and Udrih, who will have to continue to facilitate and spark Miami's offense and keep its second-ranked defense aggressive against the opposition's backcourt.

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.