Chris Bosh admitted he was a little down, having to pull out of the All-Star Game in Toronto. He had been looking forward to the weekend in the city where his NBA started to grow, even laughing about still getting booed at times.
But when he pulled out due to a strained calf, there was concern from the beginning that this could be part of the return of the blood clot issue that last season got to his lungs, threatened his life, and kept him out of the team’s final 30 games.
It is blood clots, and doctors are on it quickly this time, reports Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
AP has been told that Heat forward Chris Bosh has resumed taking bloodthinners to treat a clot and has hopes of playing again this season.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) February 16, 2016
Bosh was asked about the potential for the return of clots on Saturday in Toronto and tried to play it down to those of us pressing on the topic.
“I tried to treat it and all these things, but it’s just one of those funny things where if you feel like it’s not really turning a corner, you know calves can turn into really major, major problems,” Bosh said of his decision to pull out. “Any other circumstance, I’d try to push through it, but it just didn’t make any sense to do it.”
He added he wanted to get team doctors and specialists to look at it. They did, and that’s why he’s back on medication.
He hopes to return to the court this season; it’s unclear if he will be healthy enough to do so.
This throws a blanket of uncertainty over the Heat — both in the short term running up to the trade deadline, and long term with how the franchise is built. Pat Riley has a lot on his plate now.
But that pales in importance to the health of Bosh, one of the kinder and more thoughtful players in the NBA. We wish he and his family nothing but the best.