Luol Deng likely back from calf strain Tuesday

With the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot looking like a war of attrition, it may be the healthiest teams who ultimately claim a spot.

The Miami Heat have been anything but healthy this season, but things are looking at least a little more optimistic. While Dwyane Wade remains on the shelf for an indeterminate amount of time, fellow starting wing Luol Deng expects to return Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons.

"A muscle strain can be tricky," Deng told reporters after a full practice Monday. "Sometimes it feels good and you're thinking about every move you're doing. But the problem with it is when you react, you just play. That's really what we wanted to find out and practice was good today."

Deng has missed the team's last three games with a strained left calf. It's been a 1-2 stretch for the Heat where they've had to go deep into an already thin wing rotation.

The Heat's marquee offseason acquisition has been solid if unspectacular, averaging 14.3 points and five rebounds, but his offensive efficiency has been at its best in years thanks to the reduced burden on his shoulders. That could change with Wade on the shelf, as Miami funnels more responsibility to the veteran in the coming weeks.

The Heat are 21-26 overall, two-and-a-half games up for a playoff spot and three-and-a-half up on the once-surging Pistons.