The Miami Heat got back to work Tuesday morning after having two days off to welcome in the new year, and center
Hassan Whiteside got back to wearing a protective brace on his troublesome left knee. The Heat’s starting center, who missed 18 games with bone bruises to the knee, took the brace off after he went to the bench with 4:36 left in the opening quarter in Saturday’s win at Orlando and played without it for the rest of the game. But coach Erik Spoelstra said Whiteside will wear the brace going forward, calling it “non-negotiable” as the team tries to protect him from further injury.