<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Miami Heat coach Pat Riley will take a leave of absence to have surgery on his right knee and hip. The Chicago Tribune first reported that Riley would take a leave from the team, which plays the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday before embarking on a six-game Western road trip. A team spokesperson confirmed the leave of absence to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. According to ESPN's Hank Goldberg, Riley will have surgery on his right knee and hip and plans to return to the bench. The team was expected to hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon. The Tribune reported that Riley informed the team of the decision on Wednesday morning. Assistant Ron Rothstein will coach the team in his absence. Riley spoke earlier in the week about the knee pain. "I've got floating chips," he told the Sun-Sentinel. "I've got three or four things that have been floating in there for years. If I get it done, it'll be a day. There's just going to scope it and flush it out. "I had an MRI the other day. It showed all these loose parts in there," Riley told the newspaper. "Lately it's been locking up and staying there." The Heat, who have been without center Shaquille O'Neal, are off to a 13-17 start and out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference.</div> Full article at ESPN.com
