MILWAUKEE (AP) - Heat forward Udonis Haslem is considering having surgery on his sprained left ankle after an MRI exam revealed a bone spur that is causing discomfort.
"He still really is experiencing a lot of pain," Heat coach Pat Riley said on Tuesday night before Miami played the Milwaukee Bucks. "There's an outside chance that he may have to have surgery, arthroscopic surgery to remove a spur. That's where the discomfort is coming from."Riley said if Haslem had the surgery, he would be out for the rest of the season. One of the problems Miami has had with Haslem is his desire to keep playing despite his injury.
"U.D.'s a tough patient because he's a warrior and he won't tell you when he's hurting. He'll play hurt and stuff like that. Finally, the MRI showed exactly what was there and we'll deal with it," Riley said. "He's a guy that's always played with pain. Period. That's it."
Haslem, who has averaged a career-high 12 points to go along with nine rebounds in 49 games, had been lobbying to return to the court this week, but Riley said Haslem will probably miss Miami's next game at Toronto before heading home.
"I kept saying no to him and he kept getting mad at me every day," Riley said. "(But) this is a reality thing, and so if we have to do it, we'll do it."
Forward Shawn Marion was back in the starting lineup for the Heat after he had missed the last two games because of a back injury. Marion, acquired in the Feb. 6 trade of Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix, has played in 15 games with the Heat, averaging 14.7 points and 11.1 rebounds.
