OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Dwyane Wade was a late scratch from the Miami Heat’s starting lineup against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night because of nerve irritation in his left foot, leaving his status for the All-Star game in doubt.
Wade sat out Tuesday night’s victory at Phoenix with a migraine headache and appeared to be in good spirits before Miami’s 111-110 win over the Warriors, chatting with reporters for nearly 10 minutes in the locker room. He was listed at his usual shooting guard spot and announced during pregame introductions, but seconds before tipoff the Heat said he would not play.
Wade said he was traveling to New Orleans for Sunday’s game but isn’t sure if he’ll play.
“I’m not optimistic. I’m not pessimistic. I just want to get better,” said Wade, a 10-time All-Star who was elected as a starter for the Eastern Conference this season.
Wade said he started to warm-up when his foot began giving him problems and he went to the locker room. He said trainers officially diagnosed him with “foot drop,” which is a weakness or paralysis of the muscles that lift the foot.
“I started feeling a little something in my foot, getting a little numbness,” Wade said. “But you don’t think nothing of it. As time went on it started going up my leg a little bit, so the nerve going up my leg kind of shut down. Weirdest thing I’ve ever (felt). When I was out there and moved around and warmed up, I felt I couldn’t feel my foot. So I didn’t want to do anything.”
Toney Douglas, who was traded from the Warriors to the Heat earlier this season, made his second straight start for Miami. It was the final game before the All-Star break for both teams.
Wade has missed 15 games this season, with most of them part of the Heat’s plan to rest his nagging knees. For most of the previous two days, though, leg problems were the least of his concerns.
Wade said he woke up Tuesday with a “pounding, pounding headache” after taking an afternoon nap in Phoenix and alerted trainers. He said he took medication and stayed back at the team hotel, listening to the game against the Suns in a dark room because the bright lights from the TV were bothering him.
The Heat beat the Suns 103-97.
Wade said he experienced another strong headache after the team’s flight landed in the San Francisco Bay Area and took medicine that “knocked me out.” He said he woke up Wednesday morning feeling normal.
The 32-year-old Wade has experienced migraines at times throughout his career. He’s averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 36 games this season.
“If you’ve never experienced it before, you really don’t understand,” Wade said. “There’s just no rhyme or reason for it.”
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Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP
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