MIAMI _ Heat center Hassan Whiteside did not practice Saturday but is expected to be ready for Sunday's game at the Boston Celtics.
Whiteside's practice activity consisted of riding an stationary bike as he recovers from a sprained ankle.
"It was sore," Whiteside said. "It didn't really swell up a lot. It was just really painful. I intend to play."
The Heat will evaluate Whiteside at some point before tip-off. He is most likely a game-time decision.
"He's moving around with the intent to warm up and play but we'll have to see how he feels," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Teammates fully expect Whiteside in the lineup with so much at stake. The Heat are clinging to the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 1{ games ahead of the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. The Heat are also just two games behind the fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks.
"He was in good spirits," guard Goran Dragic said. "I don't know if he will be ready. He's the only (one) who knows that. If you watched what he did the last game with those stitches, he came ready to play and did an amazing job.
The ankle is one of two injuries Whiteside is dealing with. On Thursday, he played against the Toronto Raptors despite 13 stitches in his hand. Whiteside will continue to wear a bandage.
"Just let it heal and take its course," Whiteside said. "There's not much you can do about it."
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