An encouraging update on Tyler Herro and why he might help fix Heat’s fourth-quarter woes
It has been a tough few weeks for the Miami Heat, but one of the key Heat players missing from this rocky stretch is progressing nicely toward a return. Tyler Herro, who has missed Miami’s last nine games, was back on the court Thursday, shooting around after the team practiced at AmericanAirlines Arena.
While he still didn’t give a specific timetable for the rookie’s return, Erik Spoelstra said the rookie continues to make progress and could get some work on the court pregame Friday before the the Heat hosts the Dallas Mavericks at 8 p.m. in Miami. Herro is still listed as out on the Thursday injury report.
“He’s doing more, but I don’t have a new update for you,” the coach said. “He’s definitely doing more. If you show up early tomorrow, you might see him out there.”
Herro sprained his right ankle Feb. 3 in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers and hasn’t played since. The rookie didn’t travel with the Heat for its five-game road trip before the NBA All-Star Game and didn’t play in the Rising Stars Challenge in Chicago, either. Herro then missed Miami’s first four games after NBA All-Star Weekend, although he got out of his walking boot last week. The Heat is just 2-7 in the nine games Herro has missed in February and 5-7 overall in games the wing has missed.
Miami has particularly missed Herro’s late-game presence in the past week. The Heat is just 1-3 since the All-Star break and has blown fourth-quarter leads in all three losses, including a 129-126 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday after it led by 12 in the last four minutes. Miami has been outscored by 12.7 points per 100 possessions this season in clutch time — defined as games within five points in the last five minutes. With Herro on the court in clutch minutes, the Heat has been outscored by just 0.6 points per 100 possessions, giving him the best net rating on the team.
Herro, who averages 13.1 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting and 39.3 percent shooting from three-point range, has played the third-most fourth-quarter minutes on the team behind only guards Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Miami sent point guard Gabe Vincent down to G League Sioux Falls on Thursday, but Spoelstra insists it isn’t a hint at a possible return for Herro.
Meyers Leonard, however, will still be sidelined a bit longer. Although he also got out of his boot last week, Leonard is still not moving as comfortably as Herro and did not practice Thursday. The post player has also missed the last nine games with left ankle sprain. He has started every game he has played this season.
Small forward KZ Okpala, meanwhile, remains with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and power forward Kyle Alexander remains out with strained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 2:24 PM.
