David Chao, MD
2 min read • May 30, 2023
Posted in
With Miami moving on to their second NBA Finals in the last four seasons, they will have their second leading scorer back for a matchup with the Denver Nuggets.
Tyler Herro was cleared for basketball activities in the middle of the Eastern Conference Finals, but did not make an appearance.
He has advanced to shooting and dribbling as of Monday, meaning his return date is a coaching decision rather than a health decision. Herro carries a SIC score of 92, meaning he will not be limited in the series offensively, but may be hesitant to reach in for steals.
When he broke his right hand April 16, the Pro Basketball Docs projected that the Heat would need to make a deep playoff run for Herro to return.
Now in the deepest part of the playoffs, Herro’s return is imminent. The 23-year-old averaged 20.1 points in 67 games during the regular season for the Heat and shot a team-best 37.8% from 3-point range.
Herro was also third on the team in assists with 4.2 per game.
Caleb Martin took on a bigger role with Herro out in the postseason and was a key part of the series win over the Celtics.
During the regular season, Martin averaged 9.6 points per game and shot 46.3% from the field while appearing in 71 contests. In the postseason, he has averaged 14.1 points per game and shot 56.6% from the field, including 43.8% from 3.
Martin’s role may shift with Herro available, but he’s a key reason the Heat did not need to rush Herro back during the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Heat are 8.5-point underdogs in Denver for Game 1 and the over/under is 218.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Miami is +290 to win the Finals, while the Nuggets are -400.
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Written by David Chao, MD
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.
