The Heat are 2-0 since Tyler Herro made his season debut after missing the start of the season while recovering from ankle surgery. However, those two games, in which the team scored 106 points apiece, were well below the 122.9 point-per-game scoring output Miami has become accustomed to this season, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
Chiang also notes that the two games were two of the three slowest-paced games the Heat have played this year. Herro is aware of the changes despite the success in the win column, and is trying to find the balance between playing his game and adjusting to the new offensive ecosystem.
“I want to score 150, as well,” Herro said. “T*hat looked like a lot of fun on the bench. So I’m trying to make it work. I’m not here to take over the offense or do anything. I told all the guys to just continue to play the same way, and I’ll find my spots and fit in as I can.*”
Head coach Erik Spoelstra said the momentary scoring dip was unrelated to Herro’s return.
“It’s not because Tyler is coming back,” Spoelstra said. “It’s because teams will try to scheme against what we’re trying to do. Teams will try to slow us down, and we just need to be better at what we do.”
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With Miami finally being at full strength for the first time on Wednesday’s game, someone was bound to lose their spot in the rotation, and that turned out to be Nikola Jovic, Chiang writes in the same article. “I’m good,” Jovic said. “It’s something that happens, you know, I guess every season now. I’ll be back. I’ll get back on the court again. I’ll get a chance and I’ll show that I can play again. And then the circle comes around.” He played 10 minutes in the following game, scoring two points on three shots. Despite signing a four-year extension this summer, Jovic’s role and minutes continue to fluctuate. His minutes dropped from 22.6 over his first 11 games to 15.0 over his last four outings.
Duncan Robinson played against the Heat for the first time in his career last night and scored 18 points with five assists and five rebounds. Coming into the game, he knew it would be strange, but still felt that things had worked out for the best, according to Chiang. “I had been in every trade rumor under the sun throughout my time, and it never happened,” Robinson said. “*And I started to sort of live in this reality or this world where, maybe not reality, where I was just always going to be there… I think undoubtedly this is probably the best thing and the right thing, maybe arguably for both organizations — myself and the Heat. It doesn’t mean that I’m not grateful for my time there. But I’m really excited and thrilled for where I’m at now, and excited to be a part of this young and hungry Pistons team.*“
Terry Rozier has fulfilled one of his legal obligations in his ongoing legal troubles, as the IRS announced in late October the satisfaction of an $8.2MM tax lien, writes Daniel Libit for Sportico. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, confirmed at the time that Rozier owed $9MM on the lien, but had already paid it off and was just waiting for the IRS to remove it.