Getty Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro looks on during a postseason bout with the New York Knicks.
After a rough shooting night in the opener of the 2023 NBA Finals, the Miami Heat got back to their surprising net rippage in Game 2. Erik Spoelstra‘s squad, which ranked 27th league-wide in three-point shooting during the regular season (with a 34.4% conversion rate) connected on 17 of its 35 tries from deep en route to a series-tying win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
Still, no one would argue that the Heat couldn’t benefit from having some additional firepower as the championship bout reconvenes in South Beach. Alas, they’ll have to wait for another game at the absolute minimum to get it.
Tyler Herro — who averaged 20.1 points per game and hit pay dirt on 37.8% of his tries from behind the arc during the regular season — has been ruled out as a participant in Game 3, per the latest official injury report.
Herro hasn’t appeared in a game for Miami since the club’s first playoff contest against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 16, during which he suffered a broken right hand.
Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Doesn’t Have Any New Info on Tyler Herro’s Return Date
When Herro first suffered his injury, he was given a timeline of at least six weeks before a comeback would be possible. As such, many assumed that his season had reached its end. Flash forward to now and the Heat’s surprising Finals run has opened the door for 2022 NBA Sixth Man of the Year to jump back into the fray.
However, Spoelstra doesn’t have any information on when (or if) that will actually come to pass. He doesn’t have much say in the matter, either.
“We’re taking it one day at a time,” Spoelstra told reporters on Tuesday, via ESPN. “I know that sounds like a cliche. He did the practice with the group. He is going to do a full-contact workout after this. We’ll evaluate that. We’ll meet with the training staff later on today and probably [on Wednesday, when Game 3 will take place] and we’ll just continue this process.
“He has not been cleared yet, so that’s where we are. But we’re encouraged by the work that he’s been doing.”
Elsewhere on the injury report, big man Cody Zeller (right foot sprain) has been downgraded from available to probable. Victor Oladipo remains out after undergoing left knee surgery.
Jimmy Butler Makes Big-Time Bam Adebayo Declaration
Jimmy Butler‘s individual excellence has been perhaps the key factor in the Heat’s ability to score series upset after series upset in this year’s playoffs. But if his team is to finish the job against the Nuggets, he believes that Bam Adebayo’s ability to cope with two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic will be the primary determinant.
“Bam’s been playing incredibly well this entire playoffs — for sure this series — and this one, he got the toughest matchup by far on the defensive side of the ball,” Butler told reporters of Adebayo’s battle with Jokic.
“He plays with so much energy, he never takes a possession or a play off. So you gotta really respect him for that. And then on the offense end, he’s doing everything for us. So we need him to continue to be that. He has been there for us all year long, and like I said, he’s going to be the reason why we win a championship.”
Adebayo finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks in Game 2.
