Chris Bosh informed his teammates of his current status on Friday, and the Miami Heat are bracing the possibility that he won't be able to return for the NBA playoffs due to his ongoing battle with a blood condition that he has dealt with since the All-Star Break, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
Wade just revealed Bosh spoke to the Heat today about the playoffs. "He doesn't have the ability to be in it," Wade said.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) April 15, 2016
AP Video. Dwyane Wade on Chris Bosh, and Bosh's words to the Heat. pic.twitter.com/rcQRXn1nMo
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) April 15, 2016
Bosh had held out hope for months, refusing to rule out a return and posting positive messages on his Instagram. It's the second-straight year that he has dealt with a blood issue. It has not been confirmed by Bosh or the Heat that he has developed blood clots as he did last year, but the situation is considered extremely serious.
What this means for Bosh's future for his career remains very unclear, and will be the source of much speculation over the summer and going forward. For now, however, the Heat will have to find a way to navigate the playoffs without their best player.
After Bosh went out, coach Erik Spoelstra shifted his approach, going to a smallball attack with Luol Deng at the four. That move has yielded tremendous results, helping the Heat secure the No. 3 seed. They'll face the Hornets in the first round with Game 1 Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Arena in Miami. The Heat have found solutions, but Bosh made them a legitimate threat to challenge the Cavaliers in the East. Now Miami will be forced to make this new version work on the fly. They'll miss Bosh's talent, shooting, defense, leadership, and overall court presence, but Bosh will still be with the team to help motivate them.
Bosh averaged 19 points and 7.4 rebounds this season on 47 percent shooting in 53 games for the Heat this season.
