Miami Heat in NBA playoff waiting game with Terry Rozier

BOSTON – The Miami Heat will be shorthanded squared when it comes to at least the first week of their Eastern Conference best-of-seven opening-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

In addition to the Heat being without Jimmy Butler for “several weeks” according to the team, due to a sprained MCL in his right knee, an NBA source confirmed to the Sun-Sentinel that guard Terry Rozier will miss at least another week due to what team is listing is neck spasms.

According to such a timetable, the earliest Rozier could return would be next Saturday’s Game 3 against the Celtics at Kaseya Center.

The series against the Celtics opens 1 p.m. Sunday at TD Garden.

Rozier first began to show symptoms of the neck issue during the Heat’s April 7 road loss to the Indianapolis Pacers, a game he scored four points. At the time, he said he thought the ailment was due to an issue with traveling or sleeping.

In the void of both Butler and Rozier, the Heat are limited in options who can create their own offense

While Tyler Herro thrived in that role Friday night in a 24-point performance in the 112-91 play-in victory over the Chicago Bulls at Kaseya Center that allowed the Heat to advance to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive seasons, scoring figures to be at a premium against the top-seeded Celtics, who swept this is a series 3-0 from the Heat.

Rozier was acquired from the Charlotte Hornets in January, in part, to provide the type of scoring so critical in the playoffs, when shot creation often trumps strategy.

For Rozier, the playoffs would stand as a return to the postseason for the first time since he left the Celtics in the 2019 offseason, having appeared in 50 playoff games for Boston from 2017 to 2019.

In addition to being without Butler and Rozier, the Heat also are without guard Josh Richardson, who is out following season-ending shoulder surgery.