Hassan Whiteside (hand) plans to play Thursday for Miami

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (hand) has said that he plans to suit up against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday.

What It Means:

Whiteside received 13 stitches in his right hand on Tuesday night, and it would come as a surprise if he doesn't miss any time. It's probably wise to wait for word from head coach Erik Spoelstra before assuming that Whiteside will play Thursday. If he can't go, look for Willie Reed to draw a start.

Whiteside is averaging career-highs in both points (16.8) and rebounds (a league-high 14.2) while adding 2.1 blocks in 32.8 minutes per game. He leads all Heat players and ranks 21st in the NBA with a 7.4 nERD on the season.