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Injury-riddled Miami Heat get blown out by Raptors

Xinhua, January 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Shorthanded Miami Heat fell 101-81 to Toronto Raptors in Friday evening NBA action for their fourth straight loss.

After starting the season 21-13 with the second seed in the Eastern Conference, Miami was hit with a sequence of injuries to more than half of their roster. The team has dropped eight of their last ten games to fall to 23-21 overall and are currently eighth in the East.

"Guys are playing through a lot right now," said Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra following the game in Toronto. "Everybody understands that we need whoever we can get out there."

During Friday's loss, the Heat were without starters Luol Deng, Goran Dragic, and Hassan Whiteside. With reserves Beno Udrih, Josh McRoberts and Chris Anderson also out, Spoelstra was left with ten healthy bodies to face Toronto.

"There's no excuses. This is where you develop collective character too forge ahead," said Spoelstra. "Nobody cares what our situation or circumstance is. We have enough (players). It's not like I play 15 guys every night anyway."

One positive from this game was the return of All-Star Dwyane Wade, who was forced to miss a game due to shoulder soreness. A day after being voted in to start the All-Star game, Wade finished with 22 points in 37 minutes of action.

"(Being injured is) always a tough position to be in," said Wade following the loss. "You see your brothers out there struggling and going out there. You never want anybody to come out there and go back out."

Wade and the organization have approached the injuries with caution to ensure players are not rushed back too early.

The worst appears to be behind the squad as Dragic, Whiteside and Deng are all expected to return to action within a week. Endit