Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat walks backcourt during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on April 16, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Miami may have more firepower entering the NBA Finals with the possibility of a returning Tyler Herro just in time.
After playing the majority of their playoff run in the Eastern Conference without Herro, the Heat are expected to have the shooting guard back in the lineup during their best-of-seven series against the Denver Nuggets, according to reports.
“Herro (hand fracture) is ramping up workouts and is expected to make his return at some point during NBA Finals with Game 3 being the likely target,” senior NBA insider Chris Haynes tweeted on Wednesday.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (hand fracture) is ramping up workouts and is expected to make his return at some point during NBA Finals with Game 3 being the likely target, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 30, 2023
Herro injured his right hand during the first round of the NBA Playoffs, where Miami upset the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
Since then, coach Erik Spoelstra has been playing around with his rotations to try and get the mojo that Herro brought during the regular season.
Tyler Herro says he expects to be able to return during NBA Finals. But he says there is still post-surgical pain in his right hand.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) May 30, 2023
The question now for Spoelstra is how he would adjust his lineup with a returning Herro when other guard Caleb Martin is efficiently scoring for the eighth-seeded squad in the East.
In place of Herro, Martin averaged 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in the most crucial series for Miami in their seven-game series against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Spoelstra will more than welcome Herro’s scoring output against a well-rounded Nuggets team as he posted norms of 20.1 markers and 5.4 boards on an efficient 43.9 percent shooting clip during the regular season.
The NBA Finals series between the Heat and the Nuggets starts on Friday, 8:30 am (Manila time), at Ball Arena, Denver.