MIAMI -- Just as Josh McRoberts thought he was getting into a rhythm, he's headed back to the Miami Heat injured list indefinitely.
McRoberts has a stress fracture in his problematic left foot, the team announced Tuesday. It's the third issue he has had with the foot in about seven months, starting with a break during last year's Eastern Conference semifinals against Toronto and followed by a stress reaction that kept him out of training camp and the first seven games of this season.
The Heat aren't sure how long he'll be out, but McRoberts was adamant that his season isn't over.
"I'll be back," he said before the Heat played host to the Oklahoma City Thunder. "It's a setback, and it's never a good thing. It's always frustrating. It's always disappointing. But you try to stay as strong as you can and get through it and try to put things in perspective."
McRoberts had appeared in 19 consecutive Heat games, his second-longest streak in three seasons with the club. He appeared in 20 straight to start last season.
"I feel for Josh right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He wants to be out there, and he was starting to get into a great rhythm. We'll use all of our resources to come up with a solution for him."
Tuesday's game was the 210th, including playoffs, that the Heat have played since signing McRoberts and the 119th he missed in that span. McRoberts is averaging 4.9 points and 3.4 rebounds this season.
It's the latest blow to the Heat, who lost forward Chris Bosh in September after he failed his physical and have dealt with a slew of injuries since. Guard Dion Waiters has missed more than a month with a torn groin muscle and still hasn't resumed full practice. Starting point guard Goran Dragic was held out Tuesday because of back spasms.
"You are capable of handling whatever you need to handle," Spoelstra said. "In this league, anything that comes at you is an opportunity to grow as a team."
