By CHRIS PERKINS
FOXSportsFlorida.com Heat Writer
Jan. 24, 2011
It was quite an eventful Monday for the Heat. Among the things we learned:
* Forward Chris Bosh is unlikely to play Thursday at New York, and maybe for the entire week, because of a sprained left ankle. It turns out it's a high ankle sprain, which is more difficult to treat than a normal ankle sprain. The high ankle sprain often means you miss weeks, not days. Coach Erik Spoelstra cautioned this isn't a normal high ankle sprain, so he didn't say Bosh might miss weeks. He termed Bosh as "day to day."
The bottom line is that Bosh didn't practice Monday. And considering he had to stop a recent treadmill workout because of pain, Bosh seems unlikely to even practice this week.
* Mario Chalmers has officially replaced Carlos Arroyo as the starting point guard. And now that swingman Mike Miller is back, Arroyo might lose his spot in the rotation altogether.
* Guard Dwyane Wade, who missed Saturday's 120-103 victory over Toronto because of a migraine, practiced but had to wear sunglasses because his eyes remain very light sensitive. Wade said he'll play Thursday at New York, but he might have to wear shades.
* Swingman Mike Miller, who had 32 points, including six three-pointers, against Toronto, will get increased playing time. He'll swing between shooting guard and small forward.
* Guard Eddie House didn't practice because of a sprained right ankle he sustained in Saturday's game. He is day-to-day.
OK, back to Bosh.
Spoelstra didn't seem optimistic for the immediate future.
"He's making progress . . . I know he's doing more than he was doing the other day," Spoelstra said. "When I was walking by his session the other day I saw him start to run on the treadmill. I learned later that was too much for him, too much pain."
Yikes.
Asked about Bosh missing weeks instead of days, Spoesltra said, "Well, it's different than a high ankle sprain where you sprain your ankle and land on somebody's foot. He had somebody land on his leg, and it twisted it awkwardly so it's a little bit different than that. Those ankle sprains take a lot longer. But there was some damage to it."
That means ligament damage. Spoelstra said the injury is more in the back of the leg. Bosh, holding to his pattern from last week, doesn't seem to be in a rush to get back and possibly aggravate the injury.
" . . . I'm just trying to stay on top of it, but at the same time I'm keeping the whole season in mind," Bosh said.
Chalmers also is nursing an ankle injury, having sprained his left one in training camp. He was limping in Saturday's game and said he probably won't be 100 percent all season.
Arroyo didn't seem happy about the change. He's usually good for a smile and a handshake before an interview, maybe some small talk, but he was all business Monday.
Asked about the change, Arroyo replied tersely, "It was Coach's decision. You ask Coach. My job is to stay ready."
Forward LeBron James, who is fairly close to Chalmers, had to balance happiness for his friend with respect for Arroyo.
"It's like a brother coming back," James said of Chalmers being named the starter. "I think we're going to need everyone. It's not a
