The Miami Heat lost game three of their first round playoff series to the Charlotte Hornets Saturday evening, but they still lead 2-1. Game three was a bit of a dud for Miami, but they looked extremely impressive in games one and two and look like a formidable threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
Many people liked the Heat as a sleeper team in the East throughout much of the year, but many more people would have chosen them to make the finals if Chris Bosh was able to play. For the second straight season, Bosh is dealing with a blood clot issue that will likely bring his season to an end. Neither Bosh nor the Heat have been very forthcoming with updates on his condition, but it seems clear that he won't be back at any point during these playoffs.
The only time that we have really heard from Bosh since the clot issue arose was when he released a statement saying that it was not life threatening and that he believed he would be back on the court this season. Bosh has been made available to the media by the Heat, but he has chosen not to speak. The Heat have similarly not been very talkative about Bosh's status.
Bosh does seem to be making progress since he is now travelling with the team, but the Heat organization has not been in agreement on his treatment. Bosh is convinced that he could play, but the team has been extremely cautious since they don't want to put him at any risk. Pat Riley has said that Miami would be "open-minded" regarding Bosh returning, but they obviously still don't feel comfortable enough with it.
Bosh is reportedly still on blood thinners, and doctors have recommended that he stay on them for a few more months. Playing a contact sport on blood thinners is said to be extremely dangerous, which is a huge reason why the Heat won't let him play. Bosh, though, wants to either play through them or switch his medication. The Heat have not officially ruled Bosh out for the playoffs, but Dwyane Wade said that Bosh told the team he would be out for however long they last in the postseason.
Despite the fact that Bosh has had two straight seasons end in a very scary manner, he has no plans to retire. It is expected that Bosh will be able to play next season, although there is always the chance that this problem could arise again. The clots were in his lungs last season, and this season, they were in his calf. Bosh has been blood clot-free for quite some time now, but the Heat have his best interest at heart here and don't want him to take unnecessary risks with his life.
This situation has been unlike any other in recent memory because there just hasn't been a lot of information. Both the team and the player have decided to stay quiet on the subject, and that leaves everyone else in the dark. For now, though, we can expect Bosh to not play the rest of this season but for him to be back on the court next season.
