The celebratory mood in Miami barely lasted a day.
After pulling the trigger on a huge deadline-day trade to pull in point guard Goran Dragic, the Heat got some scary news regarding All-Star power forward Chris Bosh, who had been experiencing chest pain while on vacation during the All-Star break.
After being hospitalized, tests revealed that Bosh has blood clots on one of his lungs, and the Heat announced Saturday that he will miss the remainder of the season while being treated with blood-thinners.
The 30-year-old took to social media Saturday night to thank fans for their support:
In strictly basketball terms, this comes as a major blow to a team that hasn't been able to catch a break on the health front all season. They'd literally just gotten Dwyane Wade back from an extended layoff due to a hamstring injury, and with Dragic in tow, they were suddenly looking like a potential dark-horse contender in the wide-open Eastern Conference. Losing Bosh probably torpedoes those hopes.
Related: All is not lost for Heat without Bosh
Wade said the team celebrated the Dragic trade for 20 minutes before learning the news about Bosh. It's been that kind of season in Miami.
Big picture, though, the news also comes with a sense of relief, considering the frightening nature of the condition: Bosh is expected to be OK in the long term.
Here's what the team said in a brief statement:
Bosh, who is receiving care under the guidance of Miami HEAT team physicians at a Baptist Health System Hospital, is currently resting comfortably. Chris is OK and his prognosis is good.
"Chris actually is doing quite well right now," confirmed Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. "He's starting to feel better, and that's the most important thing."
There's been an outpouring of support around the league and throughout the basketball world since the news was announced.
Joakim Noah ended his postgame media session thusly: "Shout out to Chris Bosh."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 22, 2015
Bosh, coming off his 10th consecutive All-Star appearance, produced his highest scoring output of his five years in Miami, averaging 21.1 points in 44 games this season.
Without him, the Heat have a massive void to fill at the power forward position. With the trade deadline now passed and nothing in the way of tenable frontcourt depth on their active roster, they'll likely have to plumb the D-League and the depleted NBA free-agent pool to patch things up.
They kickstarted that process on Saturday by signing forward Henry Walker from their D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, to a 10-day contract.
