Just a few games after making his return to the field, Dru Smith’s season is over.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Smith suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during Monday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Smith was dribbling onto the court in the second quarter of the 110-95 win over the Nets when he suddenly lost the ball and fell onto the court without being touched at the Kesaya Center. He was clearly in a lot of pain and was eventually helped from the field to the locker room.
Smith averaged 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14 games this season. The 26-year-old, who decommitted from Missouri in 2022, tore his right ACL in just nine games last season after making the Heat rotation. This fall, he has a two-way deal with the organization.
“It was clear the air was leaving the building,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “When I saw him fall like that, it wasn’t a contact injury… We’re all confused for a while. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, but we all have such an incredibly deep respect for his journey, for what he has had to overcome. I’ve been in the building all the times in the last year when no one else was there and he was doing all the extensive treatment and rehabilitation, around the clock, he just has incredible strength. Ultimately you go all the way for guys like Dru.”
Despite losing Smith, the Heat took the lead in the second half on Monday night and posted a 15-point victory over the Nets. That win, powered by 23 points from Bam Adebayo, snapped a three-game losing skid. They are now 14-13 on the season and will take on the Orlando Magic next Thursday.
