There was some good news on Thursday regarding the Minnesota Timberwolves' J.J. Barea, as they both found out his hamstring was simply strained, as opposed to torn. Barea said that it was much better, no tearing, but that it was swollen and bruised. There was a lot of doubt about his status for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. Now it's confirmed that he won't be playing, according to the Star Tribune.
Meanwhile, Barea said he'll give his hamstring another day to deal and then will try practicing fully on it tomorrow before Sunday's game against his former Dallas team.
Even on Thursday, Barea had targeted Sunday for a potential return, and most are speculating it's because he wants to take on the Mavericks. He said that it was "just another game," but had a telling smile the whole time. As it's so early in the season, it's smart to sit out games and give injuries, especially those to the hamstring, a chance to heal.
The Wolves will have just ten healthy players against the Heat, with center Nikola Pekovic and Malcolm Lee also missing the game with injuries.
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