Heat’s Wiggins determined to return from ‘frustrating’ hamstring issue this week

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MIAMI — As the Miami Heat head into the final week of their regular season, they find themselves at a crossroads with forward Andrew Wiggins in regards to what could have been and what still could be.

Sidelined the past five games with what the team has been listing as right hamstring tendinopathy, Wiggins said the plan is to return this week.

The Heat host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at Kaseya Center to close out what has opened as an 0-2 homestand, to be followed by a two-game trip Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls and Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans.

“Definitely been frustrating, just because I want to be out there, playing with the guys and just fighting,” Wiggins said after sitting out Saturday night’s 121-115 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. “I feel like this is a new thing for me. I feel like usually I play throughout the season a lot of games, but being hurt sucks.”

With this latest ailment, Wiggins has missed 14 of the 29 games since being acquired at the Feb. 6 NBA trading deadline from the Golden State Warriors for Jimmy Butler.

In addition to the five-game absence with the hamstring issue, he has missed two games with a lower-leg contusion, five with a sprained right ankle, one with a stomach illness and one in transition after the trade.

“Hopefully in the next couple of games I’ll find my way back on the court,” he said.

Wiggins was sidelined in the midst of a six-game winning streak that has been followed by a pair of losses so competitive, including Ja Morant’s buzzer-beating game-winner on Thursday night for the Memphis Grizzlies, that his presence could have been the difference.

“I believe in myself and the team’s been rolling,” the 30-year-old former All-Star said. “So just being out there and trying to contribute to winning and do whatever the team needs me to do, I think I’ll be in a good spot.”

Wiggins could not pinpoint a specific play when he injured the hamstring. His last action was a 16-point outing in a March 27 home victory over the Atlanta Hawks, two games after he scored a career-high 42 points in a home victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

“It had been kind of lingering a little bit,” he said.

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In Wiggins’ absence, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has turned to Alec Burks, who has provided needed spacing with 3-point shooting that included 6 of 14 from beyond the arc in Saturday night’s loss to the Bucks.

But what the Heat previously had gotten from Wiggins was across-the-board contributions, including another needed defensive presence on the wing to help alleviate some of that burden from center Bam Adebayo.

Wiggins said the hope is to be able to pick up where he left off.

“I don’t think it’s a major setback, just because I’m able to watch and observe and have a view of what’s going on,” he said after watching Saturday’s game from the bench, then conducting his postgame interview in the hallway leading to the locker room. “I feel like when I come back, I’ve put in a lot of work with what I can do.”

Saturday night’s rotation was complicated with not only Wiggins being out, but also Tyler Herro sidelined by a thigh contusion, only his fourth absence of the season and first since March 5, with the Heat 0-4 in his absence this season.

That had Spoelstra going with Burks for 34:47 and Duncan Robinson for 31:11, as both worked through back issues.

“Alec played significantly more minutes than I’m supposed to play him right now, probably the same with Duncan,” Spoelstra said. “They both feel OK right now, but that’s where we are.”

As for where he stands, Wiggins said the training staff has been working tirelessly.

“They have a great training staff here and great physical therapy guys here,” he said. “So they’re just getting me right.”

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