PHOENIX _ Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra clarified Tuesday how center Hassan Whiteside was able to make the three-hour flight back from Boston after suffering a right retinal contusion Friday but then was not cleared to fly with the team on the six-game trip that opens with Tuesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns.
"It's not necessarily that something could happen, but it was the smartest thing to do, once he had the MRI the next day, and got his eye checked out by our eye specialist," Spoelstra said of the no-fly edict. "He recommended that he didn't travel, and then to reevaluate him on Wednesday."
Whiteside was inadvertently poked in the eye by Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder late in Friday night's loss at TD Garden. He then was held out of Sunday's loss to the Detroit Pistons at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"He is getting better," Spoelstra said. "He's going to see the doctor tomorrow, again, to see how his eye looks. But it was a scratch and a contusion, but he is starting to get better."
Whiteside then chronicled his treatment on social media, including a Snap Chat video as he was being moved into the MRI machine.
Asked if he could recall a player offering video play-by-play of such a procedure, Spoelstra smiled.
"No," he said, "but this never happened before. It's a new world. People weren't dealing with social media 10 years ago."
Whiteside has not been available to the media since his postgame comments Friday in Boston, when he was unsure about the severity of his injury, yet to see a specialist at that time.
As Whiteside was entering the MRI machine Saturday, he quipped on his Snap Chat video, "They don't want me to get rebounds. They don't want me to lead the league in rebounds."
In addition to Whiteside, forwards Justise Winslow and Josh McRoberts also remained behind in South Florida. McRoberts is dealing with a long-term foot ailment, with Winslow dealing with a shoulder injury.
"Justise is making a little bit of progress, still not ready though," Spoelstra said.
Of Whiteside or Winslow making it back on this trip that runs through Jan. 13, Spoelstra said, "I'm open to anything. If it happens, I'll be one of the happiest guys."
