DENVER _ What initially was listed as a strained right groin has turned out to be a Pectineus tear for Dion Waiters, an injury the Miami Heat said Wednesday will have the guard out for at least two weeks.
While the injury essentially remains as previously diagnosed, with Waiters' ailment also having been alluded to as hip pointer by coach Erik Spoelstra, the team said it will be two weeks before Waiters is reevaluated.
"It really was what our training staff was expecting," Spoelstra said Wednesday night before the Heat faced the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. "We initially thought it was a strain, and a strain is a week, 10 days, two weeks. So that's why we left him behind.
"We figured we'd get him an MRI and get him around-the-clock treatment. So that's what he's doing. He's still able to do work on it, a lot of biking, a lot of conditioning, still able to lift and he can do some light shooting with it. But he has to get as much treatment and rest as he possibly can."
Waiters, who has been listed with a groin ailment for more than a week, missed his first game of the season when he sat out Monday's loss to the Boston Celtics at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat then announced that an MRI revealed the Pectineus tear, confirming the source of the discomfort Waiters had been experiencing.
"I talked to Dion before and after," Spoelstra said. "It's tough. He wants to be out there for the guys. He was coming off of three games when he was really starting to get into a groove and understand what's needed from him.
"He's getting in great shape. And he wanted to continue to play with it. But, as you could see, it was starting to get a little bit worse. So we'll reevaluate him after two weeks, and hopefully all of this treatment, intensive treatment will help."
Waiters had started the Heat's first 16 games, averaging 14.2 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 31.8 minutes, shooting .384 percent from the field, .344 on 3-pointers and .652 percent from the foul line.
Going into this trip, Waiters had led the Heat in field-goal attempts and ranked second in points, field goals made, 3-pointers, assists and minutes played.
Waiters signed as a free agent with the Heat in July, with a player option for a second year on his contract.
