Heat's Deng returns Sunday vs. Grizzlies
Luol Deng's bruised right hand cost him but a single game.
The Miami Heat small forward will return Sunday as the Heat take on the Memphis Grizzlies after having sat out the team's ugly 24-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Deng originally hurt the hand Wednesday, leaving the team's game against the Atlanta Hawks.
He was on the active roster Friday, causing come confusion, but the Heat have multiple players banged up and filling their inactive roster spots. Danny Granger started in Deng's place and scored seven points in 27 minutes, by far his longest outing of the season.
In 17 games this season, Deng is averaging 13.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 31.2 minutes. While he's shot well with a 47.5 percent mark from the floor and a 35.3 percent clip from long range, the Heat have still been outscored when he's on the floor. Still, they've been 2.3 points per-100 possessions better with him than without him, so his return is surely welcome.
Deng will be joined by Norris Cole and Josh McRoberts in the starting lineup, both of whom were considered questionable due to illness.