MIAMI — The finger that Udonis Haslem broke and played with last season is quite crooked and probably needs offseason surgery.
He's also got a separated shoulder, a sore nose and a bandage on another finger. Yet somehow, he might be playing better than at any point in his three seasons with the Miami Heat.
Haslem set career-highs in points (24) and steals (five), plus matched his season-high with 14 rebounds to help the Heat beat Philadelphia on Friday night and finally clinch the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. He did all that while having only one play run on his behalf.
"I just like to play," Haslem said. "I tell people all the time, three years ago, I was in Europe. So if I've got to go out there and play with a slightly separated shoulder, a broken finger, a bloody nose, man, I don't mind at all. I'll take it."
Indeed, the former Florida Gator — who was deemed to be too short and too fat for the NBA during his college days — has come a long way since Miami saw what he did playing in a French league during the 2002-03 season and offered him a contract.
Haslem, who dropped at least 40 pounds during his year in France, became a full-time starter last season and was rewarded afterward with a five-year, $30 million deal. Even with aches and pains that accompany a season of pounding, Haslem is averaging 15.5 points on 60 percent shooting in his last four games.
"That's Udonis' character. From Day 1, he came in and showed that he's a tough guy," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "He's not going to come in and nag about anything. If he's got to sit out a practice, he doesn't like it at all. He's one of the best guys in the league, man, when it comes to a guy who's going to bring the same things every day — that toughness and tenacity that a team loves to have."
Miami has three regular-season games left, starting with the regular-season home finale with Chicago this afternoon. The game is meaningless for the Heat, but the Bulls are still fighting for a playoff spot; they entered Saturday holding the No. 8 seed in the East.
Miami should have point guard Jason Williams and small forward James Posey back from injury, although neither will probably play a ton of minutes — and the same will likely hold true for Wade and Shaquille O'Neal as well.
"I know Chicago's got a lot riding on this game, but I've always taken the position that at the end of the season, it's not our responsibility to take care of other people's destiny," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "I've got to get my team ready for the playoffs. I've got to rest certain guys, I've got to get other guys time and, at the same time, still make it a game."
Count Haslem among the Heat players who probably could use a break to get healthier for the playoffs — but he doesn't necessarily want one, either.
"Injuries are injuries, and they happen to everybody. I don't use those for excuses," he said.