Dwyane Wade game-time decision vs. Lakers; Doug McDermott still out with concussion

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Dwyane Wade is a game-time decision for Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers and Doug McDermott’s lack of progress from his concussion will force him to miss his seventh straight game.

Wade has a fractured root of a tooth that had to be extracted Tuesday and wasn’t present at shootaround, as Fred Hoiberg said he’ll be evaluated before game time. Apparently it occurred Tuesday and Wade had the procedure shortly thereafter.

As for McDermott, he’s been cleared for non-contact but not much else and it appears this concussion — his second in a young season — is taking longer than his first concussion.

His face hit the floor on a dunk attempt Nov. 12 against the Wizards and he hasn’t returned to action since. Hoiberg said there isn’t a model for the team to follow as far as when it can expect McDermott back.

“I don’t think so. Every case is individualized,” Hoiberg said. “You look at it based on what their symptoms are and Doug unfortunately has had two of them in the early portion of this season. So he’s not quite ready yet. Talking to our team doctor, he’ll continue to get treatments and continue to get evaluated on a daily basis. Hopefully we get him back soon.”

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Hoiberg said McDermott will go through another workout before the game and perhaps there will be an update about when he can take contact again.

“I think the important thing is making progress,” Hoiberg said. “He’s passed steps of the concussion protocol, he just hasn’t passed all of them. Until he completes the protocol he will not be cleared for contact. The hope is he continues to get better and makes progress on a daily basis. In his mind he wants to get out there. In our doctors’ opinion he’s just not ready.”

McDermott suffered his first concussion against Brooklyn on Oct. 31, causing him to miss the next game against Boston on Nov. 2. Hoiberg said he doesn’t think the events surrounding the first concussion is playing a part on how this one is being handled, but two in a span of two weeks is nothing to overlook.

The NBA’s handling of concussions dictate a player must pass a battery of tests to display competency before being allowed to return to various forms of action. McDermott was seen shooting around after practice Monday and Tuesday and Hoiberg said his spirits have been better since the team has returned from the circus trip.

Hoiberg has had experiences with concussions but said even he can’t impart his experiences onto the small forward, because of the protocol that’s been in place the past five years.

“It is important to communicate with Doug but it’s a different era,” Hoiberg said. “It’s hard to compare what I went through or Randy Brown or Pete. The protocol is different. It’s about keeping him positive.”

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