Uh-oh! Just when we thought all was well again with the Miami Heat—fresh off a 1-0 start to their series against the Philadelphia 76ers—the team got more bad news this season. They’re already playing relatively short-handed without big man Udonis Haslem patrolling the paint (if a team with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh is allowed to be labeled “short-handed”) and now comes this news: D-Wade is suffering with migraine headaches.

It didn’t hurt the team last night. Wade was still able to play in Game 2 against the Sixers and he looked pretty damn good doing it. However, while danger was averted in that game, this is a problem that could turn into a very big problem for the Heat if it continues. And it could threaten any chance they have of making a deep run into the playoffs if Wade has to continue to fight migraines to get onto the court.

Fortunately, the problem isn’t a new one and the Heat should be well-prepared for what it takes to beat Wade’s migraine headaches. He was suffering migraines earlier in the season and the team managed to take good care of them by implementing a balance of rest and specially-tinted goggles to help reduce Wade’s sensitivity to light. But unfortunately, migraine headaches can be a tricky thing. They can appear seemingly out of nowhere and render a person helpless for several hours or several days. Because of it, Wade’s condition could prove to really put the Heat at a disadvantage moving forward.

This could actually turn out to be a good thing for them in a way, though—if they use it to keep the rest of the team focused in on what needs to be done to continue winning games. Rather than allow the Heat to get complacent, Wade’s injury should force them to practice and prepare for every game as if Wade could miss it. That sharpened sense of focus is something that should help the Big Three if they can advance past the first round, even if it’s only the Big Two doing most of the work.

However, don’t be shocked to see this continue to be an issue. And in order for the Heat to survive in spite of Wade’s migraines, they need to start preparing now as if this could continue for the remainder of the playoffs. Look no further than last year’s NBA Finals when Kendrick Perkins went down with a knee injury in Game 6—and the Boston Celtics eventually lost in Game 7 without him. You don’t want to get that far into the playoffs and then be forced to play without one of the key cogs of your team.

So, are the Heat in trouble? A little bit. But they’re also at an advantage right now because they have time to make the proper adjustments just in case Wade’s injury is still a problem later in the playoffs. This adversity should also help bring them closer as a team. James and Bosh will need to pick up the slack and they’ll need at least one role player to pick up his game. But if they play their cards right, D-Wade’s migraine issue actually could be just the thing the team needs to keep their eyes on the prize. Go figure.

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