NEW YORK — Add two more twists to the Miami Heat’s injury report as the result of a pair of MRIs.
For forward Nikola Jovic, optimism largely prevails, with his hard fall in Monday night’s loss to the Toronto Raptors confirmed only to be an elbow contusion.
But for guard Tyler Herro, it’s back to Point A when it comes to the toe contusion that already has sidelined him for three games.
Those two, along with guards Norman Powell (calf tightness) and Pelle Larsson (ankle sprain) did not practice Wednesday morning at Kaseya Center before the Heat departed for a three-game trip that opens Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
“I mean, I was scared I broke my arm, because I didn’t feel anything and I just saw a lot of blood,” Jovic said of his tumble early in Monday night’s loss. “And they were really scared, too, because I had a pretty deep and a big cut, too, you know. I have stitches now. But it didn’t look good as soon as I went back, because I started feeling my arm.
“It feels good now. I can’t do a lot of stuff. I can’t really hold stuff right now. But it’s not broken, so I guess that’s the most important thing and I think I’ll be back really soon.”
Jovic estimates he will miss at least a week.
With Herro there is less clarity, even after his MRI confirmed nothing more than a contusion.
Revealing he took a pain-killing shot in his right big toe before his off night in the Heat’s NBA Cup loss a week ago in Orlando, when he shot 0 for 6 on 3-pointers, Herro said it was still an issue when he attempted to warm up before Monday night’s game, before being scratched.
“It hasn’t really gotten better,” he said. “So I tried to warm up and I just wasn’t feeling right that night.”
That was after Herro went through three days of practice.
“I probably shouldn’t have practiced,” he said. “That kind of like sparked things back up. So I’m just trying to control the swelling and the inflammation and then from there I can kind of decide what I want to do from there.”
Herro said he is uncertain whether he will play on the trip that continues Friday night against the Boston Celtics and concludes Sunday night against the New York Knicks. The Heat, who are on a five-game losing streak, then return home for a game next Tuesday night against the Raptors.
“I’m going on the trip,” Herro said. “So I’m hopeful that I’ll be back at some point on the trip. If not, then hopefully the week at home.”
Coach Erik Spoelstra said the news on Jovic was heartening.
“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “Maybe that’s why he was laughing when he was going off the court. But he has started to get his feeling back a little bit. We definitely dodged a bullet.”
With Herro, who already has missed 20 games this season, there is less certainty.
“Tyler, we want to make sure that we get him feeling good about his foot and his toe,” Spoelstra said.
Jovic said he required seven stitches.
“I was really scared,’ he said. “I think everyone was, because it did look bad, the cut looked bad, too, my elbow was like opened up. So the good thing is we avoid something bad.”
But, still, another week lost for a player attempting to regain a rotation foothold.
“They said it depends on how I process it, how much pain after this,” Jovic said. “So I just need the swelling to go away, the pain. I’ve got to get this feeling in my arm, and that’s it.”
As for Herro, merely uncertainty, with the comeback from September ankle surgery again stalled after only six appearances this season.
“I think between the swelling and the pain that I am feeling, just got to control that, so it’s not like something that lingers on through the year,” Herro said. “I want to try to get control of it and I can play through the pain.”
Herro said he expects this latest absence to be “very short term.”
“I just got to rest it and calm it down until I get back to normal,” he said.
Injury report
Larsson and Jovic did not travel, with Herro making the trip, but also listed as out for Thursday night.
Also listed as out for the Heat are two-way player Jahmir Young (G League) and Terry Rozier (not with team).
Powell is listed as questionable, with Kasparas Jakucionis (ankle) and Dru Smith (hip) listed as available.