WASHINGTON -- If you paid money to see the NBA's premier Big 3 take on the Washington Wizards, you might want to try to give up that ticket now. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will all sit for the Heat tonight, the team confirmed.
All three are nursing minor injuries and will rest for the playoffs. James played last night against the Milwaukee Bucks, but will sit with what is listed as a right hamstring strain. Wade is listed as having a right ankle sprain, while Bosh will not play for the second straight night with a cold. Udonis Haslem, who did play last night, also won't suit up for Miami with an ankle injury.
The Heat's likely starting lineup will instead feature Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis and Joel Anthony.
Randy Wittman was asked whether the Heat's strategy of resting players before the playoffs was appropriate.
"Listen, they're all playing for a little bit something different than we are right now. They've proved it. They know what's smart for their guys in their situation. I don't know how anybody can really question that," he said. "The playoffs are a long season too. It's another season. The intensity, not only physically, but mentally, is at another level. So you want your guys as fresh as you can have them."
I asked Wittman about the argument that the paying customers deserve to see the best players play when healthy. He posed another question to me.
"If it's your fans and paying customers, you want to see them win a championship," Wittman said. "Let's put that poll out there. I haven't seen that been asked [to fans]. Would you rather see LeBron, would you rather see Nene, would you rather see John Wall play game 80? Or would you like to see the Wizards win the world championship? See what that poll ends up."
Trevor Ariza, who missed last night's loss to the Knicks, will be a game-time decision.