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Deng, Whiteside return for Heat, but Dragic still out Monday

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat hung tough without three-fifths of their starting lineup on Saturday. They'll get two of those starters, Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside, back on Monday against the Boston Celtics.

However, point guard Goran Dragic remains out with a back contusion, while veteran Udonis Haslem joins him on the wounded list with knee and wrist issues.

Dragic suffered the back injury on Friday, putting a pin in the momentum he had been building as the team's new point guard. In eight games with the Heat, Dragic is averaging 16.1 points and 5.1 assists in 32.1 minutes, shooting 52.3 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from long range.

Deng's absence had been slightly longer, with the small forward sitting both Friday and Saturday with a thigh contusion. It's been a tough year for Deng when it comes to minor injuries, though he's appeared in 54 games, averaging 14.6 points and five rebounds while posting a career-best 58.3 true shooting percentage.

The resurgent Whiteside sat Saturday due to a sore ankle, an issue that has popped up from time to time throughout the season. The 7-footer has thrived nonetheless, averaging 11 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 63.2 percent and capturing the league's attention in a serious way.

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