Hassan Whiteside Injury: Updates on Heat Center's Knee and Return

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside suffered a sprained MCL during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Toronto Raptors, and it is uncertain when he'll return. 

Continue for updates. 

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Whiteside Won't Play in Game 7

Friday, May 13

Whiteside said after the Heat's Game 6 win over Toronto Friday night he will travel with the team for Game 7 on Sunday but will not play, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.

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Spoelstra Comments on Whiteside's Injury

Thurssday, May 12

According to Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said there's "nothing new" with Whiteside and that he has yet to do any court work.

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Whiteside Diagnosis, Potential Timeline for Return Revealed

Sunday, May 8

The Heat announced Whiteside is considered "day-to-day" after an MRI revealed a sprained right MCL.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald noted the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry has missed two weeks after being diagnosed with a sprained MCL and said that if Whiteside misses that much time, it would "extend through three games of the [Eastern Conference Finals]."

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Whiteside Vital to Heat's Playoff Hopes

Whiteside played eight minutes and scored six points before exiting Game 3. 

The 26-year-old slipped awkwardly and suffered an apparent right knee injury in the first quarter of Game 1 against the Raptors, but he returned to the floor following a brief trip to the locker room. 

Whiteside is arguably the Heat's most important player. During the playoffs, the Heat have outscored opponents by 11.5 points per 100 possessions with the big man on the floor, according to NBA.com's lineup data. But when he's sat, the Heat have outscored opponents by just 3.2 points per 100 possessions. 

Beyond finishing the 2015-16 regular season as the only player to average at least 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, Whiteside was arguably the league's most effective rim protector. 

Not only did opponents shoot 10.8 percent worse than the league average inside of six feet against Whiteside, per NBA.com's player data, but he also routinely deterred opposing ball-handlers from driving to the paint for high-percentage looks. 

Should the hulking center miss time, the Heat will be forced to entrust the less athletic Amar'e Stoudemire with more responsibilities in the middle of the defense.