On a day that meant little to the Miami Heat’s playoff position, the team could have lost a rotation player after a major injury.
Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. went out on Friday night the game against the Indiana Pacers on a stretcher after he ran a moving screen of big man Goga Bitadze. Jones remained for several minutes with an apparent neck injury.
Derrick Jones Jr. is out with a neck injury
Jones was eventually given a neck brace and performed by medical staff on a stretcher.
Heat’s Derry Jones Jr. is put on a stretcher here on the street in Miami-Indiana. Hit the court hard and held his neck down. Has been a few minutes. pic.twitter.com/nRoXVYLJHN
– Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) August 14, 2020
Jones experienced the biggest moment of his professional career earlier this year with his controversial win in the 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, leaving Aaron Gordon in an overtime duel for the title. With the Heat, Jones averaged 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game starting Friday, ranking eighth among the players currently on the team minutes per game with 23.4.
The 44-28 Heat were already locked in the face of the 44-28 Pacers in the first round of the NBA playoffs, although Friday’s game decided which team would be the No. 4 seed and take advantage of get home court. Of course, home court is essentially meaningless in the NBA bubble, so staying healthy was the bigger priority.
Game 1 is scheduled for 4 pm ET on Tuesday.
