Heat’s Herro updates knee injury. And Spoelstra explains his All-Star Game reaction
Heat guard Tyler Herro, who popped up on this week’s injury report with a knee issue, said he would miss Monday’s game at Washington but doesn’t believe he will sidelined for long.
Herro said he has soreness in the right knee, which Erik Spoelstra said resulted from a fall and a collision in the Charlotte game on Sunday.
“It’s all right,” Herro said Monday after shootaround at Georgetown University. “I should be fine either tonight or for the next game. Just a little soreness with my knee. Just want to be careful. I’m probably going to be out [Monday], if I had to choose right now. Nothing long-term, hopefully. Just soreness in my knee and I’ll be fine hopefully for the next game.”
Monday evening update: Herro was just ruled out for Monday’s game. The Heat next plays Thursday at New Orleans.
He said there has been no need to take an X-ray or MRI.
Jimmy Butler (left big toe irritation), Caleb Martin (left Achilles soreness) and Max Strus (right quadriceps contusion) also intend to play on Monday. All three were listed as questionable.
SPOELSTRA ALL-STAR REACTION
On social media, several fans cracked that Spoelstra might have been unhappy with Chicago’s loss to Philadelphia on Sunday — a result that means Spoelstra will coach in the All-Star Game in Cleveland — and that he would rather be on a desert island.
“I’m not that cynical,” he cracked Monday, noting that he watched the Bulls-76ers game on his iPad.
Spoelstra said he appreciates what the moment means for the Heat and his staff, most of whom will be coaching in an All-Star Game for the first time, with Spoelstra having made one previous appearance in 2013.
“It’s hard to win in this league, hard to have the best record in the conference in this league,” he said. “Our guys understand how tough it’s been this season and it’s only going to get tougher. For a short period of time, for a weekend, we can acknowledge as a team and staff that there’s been a lot of hard work and collective will to overcome adversity.
“For a weekend, everybody in the organization gets to be acknowledged for that hard work. That part is the more meaningful part for me. We talked about it as as a staff last night. AC [Anthony Carter] spent 13 years in the league as a player and almost 10 years with us on a coaching staff. He’s never been to an All-Star weekend. He’s really excited about that.
“We know what this has been like the last two months. It seems like one thing after another that has come up. It’s so much more gratifying when you’re able to enjoy this with good people.”
Spoelstra will coach Kevin Durant’s team in the Feb. 13 All-Star Game, while Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams will coach LeBron James’ team. If James’ team picks Butler, then Spoelstra will be coaching against him. NBA commissioner Adam Silver selected Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball to fill the injured Durant on the roster, and Boston’s Jayson Tatum, who was already on the team, to replace Durant as captain.
“I was hoping we would be able to select Jimmy and then I realized, he might not be on our team,” Spoelstra said before Silver’s announcement. “Then I thought can we pick another All-Star player? That is not going to be my decision. That is going to be Adam’s. And then hopefully we can influence him. And then if somebody is out, maybe we can add two players from our team. Does that sound like I’m pushing?”
HEAT PRAISE
Count ESPN analyst JJ Redick among those who have hopped aboard the Heat bandwagon. He said he believes the Heat is the most dangerous team in the East.
“What do you need to win in the playoffs? Defensive versatility,” he said. “They have a five [Bam Adebayo] that can switch, big wing defenders in Jimmy [Butler] and P.J. [Tucker]. They’ve got an elite charge taker, help side defender in Kyle Lowry.
“They have two great shot creators off the dribble in Tyler [Herro] and Jimmy, and Bam functioning as a facilitator in the high post.. This team has a lot. Tucker is one of the most underrated acquisitions.”
Redick cautions that the Bucks still haven’t found someone to adequately fill Tucker’s role. “They said P.J., ‘You go guard the best player.’ P.J. was such an added bonus to that team and they haven’t replaced him yet.”
THIS AND THAT
The Wizards enter Monday’s game having lost seven of their past eight.
When asked the mood of the team after the Wizards’ 95-80 loss to Phoenix on Saturday, center Montrezl Harrell said: “It sucks, bro. That’s the mood of the team. It [expletive] sucks. Coming in here and teams are basically beating our [expletive] from start to finish.... So that’s the energy in the room right now, it just [expletive] sucks.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 11:44 AM.
